A Fate Retold
by LostInTheBeats
Summary: The truth behind a case can be hidden through so many layers of fabricated lies. It is my job as an ace reporter to see through those fabrications to uncover the truth. So here I am, risking my life to learn the secret behind a massacre of a fourteen student class... SYOC [Closed]
1. Chapter 1: Sunset Blood and Navy Corpses

**Greetings and salutations to you, the reader. As some people may now (or others who don't) I kind of died on a pair of stories I was writing last year. I don't plan on continuing those what-so-ever as A) I've lost the ideas I had originally planned for them and B) I wanted to start fresh with a new idea that sparked during a conversation with a good friend of mine. Don't worry, this story won't crash and burn like my first or live on discontinued like my last two. (Who knows, maybe the flames for the other two will light once more and I'll finish them.) Either way, here's the Prologue, enjoy.**

**Chapter One: Sunset Blood and Navy Corpses**

The sound of ambulances rang in my ears as I rode down the streets in a rush. We had just gotten a call at the office and since it was the holiday, we had none of our staff onboard. Well, except for me anyways, since I'm a the boss' number one lapdog. The name is Rena Mashiro, ace reporter extraordinaire. I live up to my name, taking the job to capture both the truth and the sights of a scene for the people. After all, Shibuya Sundown News is all about the people so it'd be terrible if I didn't bring the whole dinner to the table. Enough about the news, I'm twenty-two and single but I'm not really interested in a relationship, my work is my true love and-

"Get out of the way asshole!" I screeched at the top of my lungs, sticking my head out in the humid summer heat. I was clearly in a rush and some idiot thought he could just cross when the light was green. He flipped me the bird but I flipped him two right back. Letting out a sigh of irritation, I slammed my foot on the gas pedal. "Waste of thirty seconds, motherfucker…" As you can tell, I'm not particularly in the mood right now. It's been a terrible morning; spilled coffee, burnt breakfast and I couldn't even relax with the fresh smell of printed newspapers. But seriously, I am getting sidetracked. What is wrong with me?

I turn a sharp corner, heading down a typically unused street but I currently filled with police cars. Right, the call. So around 8:15 this morning, my boss gets an anonymous call about a huge scoop on high street. Of course, we're dubious because anonymous tips get sent here all the time and they're usually nothing but fabricated lies. Usually. This one felt, different though. The boss was really unnerved by it, perhaps it might've had something to do with his niece going missing some time ago. I'm not too keen on the details but it seemed really serious. He hadn't been in for a month when that happened and let me tell you, when I say he adores his niece I mean he buys her the most expensive gifts money can buy. He's a sucker for little tykes. So yeah, I'm thinking he myth be related to this but… I'm not totally sure…

I pull up behind the back gates of what appeared to be some sort of school building. What was it called again…? Oh right, Fate's Alliance Academy, the one for students with extraordinary talents at such a young age. Right… I never got accepted here, not that it bothered me. So I couldn't get on the wait list, no big deal. My life is perfectly fine without some proof of me attending such an elite school because I'm doing simply fantastic right now. I shut off the engine to my baby girl, a Maserati my father had gotten me for my twenty-first birthday. Why he got me this, I have yet to figure out. I would've preferred a house but no, some imported vehicle. Not that I can complain though, it's pretty cute. A usual, I lock my car and grab my camera as well as a messenger bag chock full of supplies. Undoing the messy bun I kept my hair in and sliding on a pair of sunglasses, I strut my way over to the huge crowd of police officers, seemingly in a heavy conversation. The atmosphere around them just seemed so… grave… But then again, they were police officers, those outfits were not stylish so I don't blame them. But all jokes aside, I attempt to weave my way into the group to get a lick of what they're talking about but I'm stopped by some guy I never met. Maybe he was new to the force.

"'Scuse me ma'am, but you're not allowed to head through here. Police access only," he adds in that little bit, attempting to sound all mighty with his authority. I gave him a wry smile, prepared to dig my claws into his neck and make him move but of course, Prince not so charming comes to save the day. Lame.

"Hey, rookie. She's with me so back off, or else you'll get a demerit." I rolled my eyes a bit, a bit irritated at that. I would've loved to give him more than a demerit, trying to say I'm not allowed here. But anyways, this guy is Seto Otonashi, an irrelevant human being. Well actually, no, he's at least good for giving me access to police only areas. I swear, he does it just so I'd go on a date with him which would never happen. "Y'know, if you just applied to the police academy along with getting your degree you wouldn't go through this every time."

"If you just applied to the police academy while you got your degree you wouldn't go through this every time- oh shut up." I huffed a bit, strolling past him with my arms crossed. I really had no time to spare for him, work is money and money is time. "So, what's the case we're working on this time? School shooting? Group suicides? Teacher going crazy?" I threw out several scenarios, completely oblivious to the severity of the situation at hand. I mean, it was a school, what else would happen? Not to mention an extremely high standing one at that.

"Well actually…" Seto trailed off, beating around the bush like most did when they were about to leak something they weren't sure about. I studied criminal law and I observed cases for days, he's not going to be dodgy with me. "I think it would be more efficient for you to see it for yourself." He sped ahead of me and I just stared at him in disbelief/ was bit really that bad? Ugh, whatever. I followed after him nonetheless, passing through the golden gates to the school's estate. It was rather nice actually I it weren't for, y'know, dead plants and murky fountain water then this place would be fantastic. He continues onward, disappearing into the inky darkness beyond the open door.

This is a school right…? Cause it feels like something more… Shaking my head a bit I quickly followed suit, the sound of my heals clacking the floor with each step I took. The hallway I was in was rather eerie and unnerving. It didn't take long for me to catch up to Seto but when I did I froze in my tracks. A pair of fairly fresh corpses though they still bore a putrid odor. They looked to be high school students, probably the ones who were studying at this facility but… they weren't wearing uniforms… I arched a brow at this an immediately pulled out my camera. I snapped a few photos of the pair of corpses.

"Is this it?" I inquired, my curiosity piquing further than I expected. I felt like there was more to see for some strange reason. He nodded his head before continuing forward down the seemingly endless hall. I stared at the corpses for a brief moment, letting a small prayer escape my lips before I too treaded down the hall. We arrived at what seemed to he some sort of court room. It seemed rather high in etiquette with an expensive looking carpet as well as furnished wood. However, the oddest things were posted at a circle of fourteen stands. Eleven of them had a portrait of what I assumed were students on them with a large x crossing through the portraits. Of course, I took a picture of each one as one could never have too many pictures and this was vital information.

"Did your guys figure what these were for…?" I turned around, asking him with a hand to my hip whilst the other cradled the camera. I got a pathetic nod in response and furrowed my brow in irritation. "Well, that explains a whole lot Seto. Thanks so much. I really appreciate the cooperation." He let's out a sigh, pulling out his little notebook and begins flipping through it before he stops at a page.

"We believe each post represents a student who died but there is a total of fourteen corpses in the facility but only eleven posts so…" He trailed off, closing his notebook and sliding it in his pocket. I scoffed a bit at his behavior considering how he was supposed to be a police officer. I didn't get what was so awkward about this but I didn't press him on it.

"Where to next?" I was a bit confused considering how there weren't anymore doors but as I asked that, a ding rang from behind me. Startled, because I hate surprises, I turned around to witness an elevator sliding open. I assumed that was our ticket out of there and quickly hopped on. I tapped my foot impatiently as my companion sluggishly pulled himself onboard. Without the press of a button, it closed and began to creak as it pulled us up. It took a few minutes but the elevator finally stopped, revealing a room that held none other than a door. Not missing a beat, I stepped out of the elevator, rushing out the door and leaving Seto behind.

After passing through the door I found myself in a brightly lit hallway. The walls had a pretty coat of baby blue paint and the floors were a black marble. Was this actually a school or was it some kind of extravagant household. Either way, I began making my way deeper in the hallway until I came across a door with a sign above titled, Nurse's Office. Of course, I went inside expecting something of interest but… It looked like a normal nurse's office in a typical high school. Medicine, blood packs, medical instruments- wait, blood? I quickly took snapshots of the room before taking a few of the supplies. Why would a nurse need such a thing? Are nurses even trained to handle blood transfusions…? I don't know. Quickly losing interest in the room, I hastily left it before coming near a staircase but a set of shutters were lowered and I didn't exactly have the key to raise them.

"Splendid…" I muttered, running a hand through my hair as I strut down the adjacent hallway. I come in contact with a few more rooms, a classroom with a large number of desks in a rather neat and orderly arrangement. There appeared to be something written on the blackboard but… I couldn't quite make out what it said. Nonetheless, I snapped a picture of it just in case. There were also steel platings bolted into the wall. I was a bit on the confused side as to why such things would be there. Maybe windows were there and students used to get so distracted from the outside? Tall about drastic measures. On my way out, a rather strange camera caught my eye. It was some sort if hi-tech security camera but it didn't seem to be on. This place was extremely strict, wasn't it? I use past tense because it's probably going to be closed down now. An incident like this could very well ruin a school's reputation, emphasis on could. Either way, I was finished with this classroom. The rooms that followed were just as boring, a gymnasium as well as two other classrooms. There was also a locker area that led to a sauna as well as a storage filled with a variety of different items. But nothing of interest.

As expected, there was a cafeteria, but what caught my eye was the contents of the kitchen. It seemed rather nice, bolstering a variety of kitchen utensils as well as a large fridge in addition to a freezer packing various amounts of large meats on hooks. However, the food in both the fridge and freezer had long expired. This certainly raised a few questions as I snapped a few pictures. I jotted a few notes in my own notepad before leaving the cafeteria area altogether. The last place to check were the apparent dormitory areas. There weren't any labels on the doors so they didn't know whose door was whose, not that it mattered. All the doors were locked air tight.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I seethed angrily, punching the last door. Unlike the others, it swung open at the contact of my fist on the hard material. Honestly, I was a bit surprised that it had actually opened but also it seemed as though the room was untouched. By untouched I mean it had not been investigated by the police. Papers litters a desk, providing next to no visibility of the desktop. I began filing through them, amazed by the documents that provided so many details as to what occurred within these walls. There was a roster consisting of fourteen students. The names were unfamiliar to me but I took a picture of it, knowing full well that the cops would keep all the evidence to themselves. There were also several photos of what appeared to be the remains of what I assume to be humans. Perhaps some of the students? There was blood everywhere and the corpses were ether beyond from recognizable or destroyed completely, providing no sort of evidence that it was a human body at all. I nearly retched at the sight but I managed to keep myself from doing so.

"This… This is horrible! Inhumane!" I was at a loss for words as I continued going through the papers until I found a diary. The owners name was scratched out but the pages inside were legible. I began reading the first entry softly to myself.

_Day one,_

_It seems that we have been trapped here under the command of some unknown individual. They appear in some sort of full body costumes, rendering us incapable of being able to identify them based on appearance. I believe they're also using a voice modifier, ensuring that nothing about them is identifiable. We have been ordered to kill each other in order to escape or to stay here forever. Everyone is in a flurry of panic save for a few of us and I'm led to be extremely concerned for the wellbeing of both myself and my peers._

I would've continued on to the next entry but the sound of footsteps bounced of the walls in the hallway before reaching my ears. I quickly closed the book and scooped up most of the important documents and shoved them unto my bag. I feared that it was a police officer and just as I predicted, it was Seto, crossing his arms with an unnaturally worried expression plastered on his face.

"Why did you go on ahead?" He fumed, glowering at me with disappointment. I merely a scoffed in response before looking away.

"You were taking too damn long, that's why." He didn't seem too pleased with that reasoning and pointed at something on the bed. I followed his gaze, having failed to notice that a black tape recorder sat on a bed. I was immediately drawn to it, picking it up gently. I glanced over to Seto and he nodded, signaling that it was okay to play. I pressed what I assumed was the playback button and listened closely.

"Hello." A male's voice. Although it's distorted I can clearly tell that it is a man or perhaps a boy speaking. "You're probably wondering quite a few things about the events that took place here at Fate's Alliance Academy. The documents piled there on that desk were the first step into diving into this mystery. The second, is this tape. We shall see how desperate you are to decipher the hidden meaning behind what occurred in this well known facility though I give you a single warning. Should you wish to turn back, drop this case immediately. If not, your life will not be guaranteed to be safe… my best wishes."

Soon, silence replaced the sound of the rather unnerving voice with the last words it spoke looming over our heads. Just what ha happened here? I needed details, stat but was it worth risking my life over? I guess we'd have to find out. I handed Seto the tape recorder, telling him to take it to the chief investigator. He jogged out of the room in a rush, obviously creeped out by the message and I don't blame him one bit. Throwing one last glance around the room, I began making my way out before I felt something press against my mouth and an arm wrap around my waist tightly. Panicked, I quickly began struggling but I couldn't get a grip on them to remove them from me. The whispered a soothing 'shhh' in my ears as vision faded from my eyes and my body fell in contact with the floor.

When I finally came to, I found myself strapped to a chair with bindings around my wrists and ankles. It was odd being restricted like this. How log had I been out? Probably not too long but I couldn't see a damn thing. Blindfolded… I began struggling, desperate to escape my imprisonment but to no avail. Though I felt something similar to wires brush against the sides of my head as I did flailed about.

"Now now Princess, can't have you breaking free," chuckled a male voice. It was unfamiliar but the fact that they called me princess irritated me beyond belief. I felt a scowl form on my face as I adjusted my head to face te direction I thought he was in.

"He's right. You wanted to know te truth, well now you're gonna learn it. This what you wanted, right? Miss Ace Reporter." A girls voice giggled lightly, almost teasingly. What did they mean that I was going to learn what events unfolded at the academy. Were they the ones who set everything up at the school.

"Anyways, no time for chit chat. Let's get this party started!" A third voice exclaimed. The sound of a machine whirring filled my ears. I attempted to speak but the moment I did, something began to fill my lungs, rendering me incapable of forming the words I desired to say. I felty eyelids grow heavy and my was rocked back and forth. However, this was a different sensation from earlier. I felt as though I was being… disconnected from my body… It felt strange… Before I dived into the world of unconsciousness a single pleas raced through my mind.

Seto, please help me…

**Well that was a shorter prologue than I intended for but I suppose it's better than droning bit on forever. Anyways, here's the deal. There are fourteen slots exactly, I will not be having an OC participating in the story which is exactly why it's structured like this. The form will be on my profile and one lucky character will be the protagonist in the mutual killing. The eyes that we will view everything through**

**Note: I will not accept characters through review or any means that does not allow me to reply back to you as I may or may not need to ask a few questions. Anyways, until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2: Crimson Shackle and Cyan Bars

**And so we're back with another installment ****_of_**** 'A Fate Retold.' Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who submitted a character as they were all fantastic but of course, cuts had to be made. My sincerest apologies to those who did not get in- I took into account the various personalities as well as how well each character would behave with one another. The talents were all diverse so that was fantastic. As for the ones who did get in, congratulations. Prepare to confront your dear character's death. If you just wanna see if you got in or not and don't really care for introductions head on down to the bottom. Otherwise, take a seat and prepare for the show!**

**Chapter 2: Crimson Shackles and Cyan Bars**

"Mmmm… sales increased by thirty-percent… Quota for next month… Is double…" I felt a slight chill run down my spine as though a gust of cold wind brushed against me. Shivering slightly, I shifted my body to curl up a bit more but that was difficult for _some_ strange reason. I tried moving again but something kept me from doing so. Slowly, my eyes opened to see just what the problem was.

"Oh." It seems that I was in some sort of classroom, sitting at a desk and sleeping the day away. However, it was empty and it gave me the chills. I glanced around only to catch sight of a few notable things. Firstly, there was a large blackboard with 'class is in session' written in faded chalk. I cocked my head to the side at the sight, finding it silly considering how I was the only one in here. After all, time wasted goes against the code. The next thing were the windows or at least what I thought were windows. Instead of glass there was concrete which was extremely odd. I decided that a better use of my time would be to find someone and maybe figure out where I was. I scooted the chair back, causing a loud noise as the legs scraped against the floor before hopping up from my seat. I made my way towards the door before stopping at a desk. A stack of papers clipped to a clipboard the I recognized as my own. I picked it up, filling through the pages just to triple check that everything was there.

"Right up to code!" I hummed, a large smile forming on my face. I tucked the clipboard under my arm, making my way out the room as planned.

The hallway was a much more relaxing area than the classroom. It was brighter and the pretty baby blue paint and black marble floors reminded me of the visit to an art museum I took with the other girls in the troupe. I earned my Art History badge that day- not that it was difficult. Moving along, I began heading down the left hall, humming softly to myself as I did so. I immediately came to a pair of familiar looking double doors. The exquisite wood engravings on the door were fascinating and it looked pretty expensive. I looked around, taking note that this was sort of a rest area considering there were benches and a few islands to rest on.

The sound of people's voices pulled me away from staring at the small area and refocus in what I was originally planning to do. I pressed my war against the door, confirming that there were people just on the other side.

"Alright!" Taking in a deep breath, I prepared myself as I trusted open the doors to the room, "Hello everyone!" I greeted as loud as I could though I probably sounded like a little chipmunk. Immediately, the small conversations ceased as thirteen pairs of eyes focused their attention on me. My smile froze in place as I stood there awkwardly, waiting for someone to say something. The silence was unbearable, maybe more so when I earned my Public Speaking badge and my Inspiration badge.

"Ah… How disappointing…" Someone spoke, a small sigh escaping afterwards. A girl took a few steps forward with her arms crossed as she inspected me from head to two with rather pretty blue eyes. "What's this sash 'sposed ta be? Are you some ambassador or something?"

"Ah- no… I'm a Girl Scout…" I corrected her, keeping my smile as I did so. Courteous to all, it's the code I live by. I hold up my hand in hopes that she would shake it before introducing myself. "Sayako Hanureru. It's nice to meet you, miss!" Their focus diverts from my sash to stare me dead in the eyes, flames of anger flickering in their eyes. She pulls me closer by my sash, though there wasn't much height difference between us. A trickle of sweat falls down my brow as I gulp a bit, nervous.

"Oh boy… Not even thirty seconds in and she's already slipped up. _Bravo._" A boy's voice mused followed by the sounds of soft clapping.

"What'd you just call me?" She asked, shaking me a bit as she did so. I opened my mouth to respond but she cut me off, "I ain't no girl, I'm male. Y'hear me? Maaaaaale." He stated irritation clear in his voice before he released me. He stomped over elsewhere, grumbling to himself as he fumed. I stared, holding a hand out in an attempt to stop him so I could apologize for my mistake but to no avail. I let out a small sigh, slumping over a bit. I felt a hand pat my shoulder and looked to see another boy a bit taller than myself.

"No need to worry about him, he'll calm down… eventually." His large smile and cheerful tone helped a reassure me a bit but that didn't make the guilt fade. "Aeri's just an irritable little Trapeze Artist. The Super High School Level Trapeze Artist I might add. I'm Syaoran by the way, Syaoran Shiki. Some people call me Sya and well, I rescue people. Super High School Level Rescuer."

**_Aeri, Super High School Level Trapeze Artist_**

**_Syaoran Shiki, Super High School Level Rescuer_**

"I see… It's nice to meet you Syaoran!" I returned his smile with one of my own, glad to have met a friendly face. I quickly grabbed my clipboard which had fallen when Aeri grabbed me. I retrieved a pen that was clipped to my ear and held out both items out to him. "Could you sign here please?" Syaoran looked rather confused but took the items regardless, quickly signing his name before handing them back to me. "Thank you for supporting the Girl Scouts of Japan!" The confused expression he bore made me laugh lightly before showing him the first page. "You just bought a few of our most popular cookies, we take cash and credit so pay as soon as possible."

"Ah… I see…" Scratching his head a bit, he kept his smile before pointing to the others who were observing us rather carefully. "You should meet the others, remember their names and all. If you need anything feel free to ask, I'll be right over there." Giving him a small wave in farewell as he sauntered over to the wall to begin his own observations, I scanned the remaining party in order to decide my next victim- I mean the next supporter of the scouts. Finding a rather vulnerable looking trio gathered I quickly made my way over to them, a large smile tugging at my lips.

"Greetings and salutations, would you mind signing here, here and here for me?" I thrust my clipboard in front of them, flipping through pages as I instructed where they should sign. Fortunately, I had several pens just for this occasion and I distributed them with agility. Confused, much like Syaoran was, they began signing it with no idea of what they were getting into.

"U-Um… what ex-exactly is this for…? …Are y-you the student he-helper…?" A girl much taller than me inquired. Her posture made it seem as though she were just like a machine, standing perfectly straight or maybe it was just the simple lack of womanly features… N-Not that I'm staring at her like that! Anyways… her light gray eyes were rather pretty but the nervousness and fear that flickered in them as they darted left and right gave her a sort of cute vibe. Or maybe it was a weak vibe, like a poor defenseless animal. Not to mention there were an abundance of visible bruises as well… I'll definitely be looking out for this one. Oh, but her bun is cute! Maybe I'll ask her to do my hair like that sometime…

"Not at all! Though I am licensed to be one!" I saluted her, keeping a firm pose though it seemed to frighten her a bit. The other two boy's cheeks puffed out as if they were trying to contain their laughter but I paid it no mind. "Sayako Hanureru, the Super High School Level Scout and representative of troop one-forty-seven at your service!" I dropped my arm, holding it out to her for a handshake but this seemed to strike more fear in her as she pressed up against the wall. After a moment, she shakily stuck her own hand out and shook mine in a rather gentle motion.

"...I-It's nice to meet you Sayako… I'm Yuuna Funakoshi, the Super High School Level Scrapbooker…"

**_Yuuna Funakoshi, Super High School Level Scrapbooker_**

As she introduced herself I swear I saw something behind those nervous eyes. I wasn't sure what, but my intuition never lies. Or my eyes seeing as how I got the Eagle Eye badge. Nonetheless, I gave her a polite nod before moving on to the boy next to her.

Or at least, I thought he was a boy. Despite containing his laughter only moments ago a serious expression was plastered on his face whilst amber eyes stare me down. His hair reminded me of that one actor- Leonardo Di Caprio except longer and black. Rather than a student I would assume he was our science teacher with the lab coat he wore.

"Greetings," he spoke, a small smile forming as he stretched his hand out. "No need to reintroduce yourself, I've already gotten your name. Sayako, correct?" I nodded my head, realizing that he was right there when I introduced myself to Yuuna so of course he'd hear. I took his hand into my own, receiving a rather fierce shake. "Hmmm… Interesting…" His hand retreated, producing a journal from his lab coat pocket before he began scribbling something down.

"Ummm…?" Needless to say I was confused by this and looked at my hand. I curled it a few times, wondering if there was something wrong with my hand. This was really creepy.

"Ah! Right, I forgot to introduce myself." He snapped his journal closed, pocketing it before he cleared his throat. "My name is Daichi Etsuko, the Super High School Level Psychiatrist. It's a pleasure to be acquainted with you miss Sayako."

**_Daichi Etsuko, Super High School Level Psychiatrist_**

The smile plastered on Daichi's face sent a chill down my spine. It was friendly and all but… maybe it was just the fact that he was a psychiatrist. Watching my every move, noting down my behaviors- okay moving on! I gave him a polite bow before heading over to the last of the trio.

This one, like all the others, was taller than myself but he seemed much more different than the others. He had a strong air of class around him, like he was a prince or maybe even a king. His black dress pants and the tan blazer that clung to him rather nicely accented this aura he carried with him. He also seemed extremely familiar and… well handsome.

"Excuse me?" I flinched a bit, hearing that rather cold and somewhat annoyed tone grace my ears. It was similar to the voice I heard when I was confronted with Aeri though it lacked the cynical tone to it. I realized that it came from the person I was absorbed in staring at- oops? His nose scrunched up in disgust as teal eyes glowered down at me.

"Oh- uhm. Me?" I inquired rather idiotically, pointing at myself to confirm that he was speaking to me. He rolled his eyes before letting out an exasperated sigh. Drama King much? Oh that was rude, my sincerest apologies.

"Well you were the one who was gawking at me and whispered something along the lines of 'handsome' so I do believe I am referring to you." Scratch that, he was snooty, not some sort or prince. How rude! And-and did I really say my thoughts out loud. "Yes. You did. I'm not a mind reader." Surprised, I clamped my hands over my mouth and hastily took a step back. I made sure to have my clipboard tucked under my arm so I wouldn't drop it.

He merely scoffed in response, running a hand through his dark brown tresses. "Though, seeing as how you have some good taste in appearance I'll allow you to obtain my name. The clipboard, hand it over." He snatched it from underneath my arm despite having signed it already. He flipped through the pages before stopping at the last and began writing. After a few seconds he held it in front of my face. It was his signature, covering a majority of the sheet with his title underneath.

"Hoshi… Oshiro…? The Super High School Level Actor… Oh…!"

**_Hoshi Oshiro, Super High School Level Actor_**

That's why he was so familiar. He was in one of those movies that we watched at one of our meetings and the girls went crazy when he appeared. Well, meeting him in person he wasn't really all that. He nodded his head as a smug smile adorned his lips. He pushed my clipboard back into my arms with the pen I had given him clipped to it.

"Do not think you are worthy of speaking to me, you have merely earned my name. Now begone, I require time to myself." He shooed me away with the flick of his hand as he returned to his own thoughts, glancing around a few times. …Okay then. Clutching my clipboard, I scoured the remaining students hoping I could meet a few more friendly people like Syaoran.

I set my sights on another trio that seemed heavily involved in a conversation. Well, a group of three people with one person questioning another and the third just watching from the sidelines. Nonetheless, they seemed like a friendly bunch and I made my way toward them with a large smile on my face.

"…so you enjoy tea? What are your favorite flavors as well as brands?" A rather athletic girl inquired another athletic girl with a rather inquisitive gaze. I suppose birds of a feather flock together after all… The second girl opened her mouth to speak but stopped when I arrived, giving me a small wave. The first girl turned her head, looking at me with her light blue eyes. As she moved, a clip that was holding her raven colored hair fell out of place, causing her bangs to fall over her eyes. "Stupid bangs…" she muttered, hastily fixing her hair before giving me a one-over. She stuck out her hand, keeping a rather serious expression on her face.

"Hello, how are you?" I took her hand in my own, shaking it gently but before I could answer her question… "Also, may I ask what your name is as well as your title? How long have you been awake? Who all have you introduced yourself to and-" I felt my eyes spinning at the intensive interrogation, unable to keep track of all the questions she desired to have answered.

"I'm S-Sayako Hanureru, the Super High School Level Sc-Scout, at your service!" I released her hand quickly, moving into a firm salute. I felt nervous as her calculative gaze studied me before nodding her head. "O-Oh! I'm doing fairly well… it's nice to meet you and uhm… I've been awake for maybe thirty minutes now…? Or maybe an hour… I'm not really sure."

"Is that so…" She tapped her chin a few times before a smile broke on her face as she crossed her arms. "Well, it's nice to meet you Hanureru-san. I'm Kazue Suou, the Super High School Level De-Bunker. Are those patches on your sash all the badges you've earned?" She inquired, pointing at my sash with curiosity.

**_Kazue Suou, Super High School Level De-Bunker_**

I nodded my head furiously, clamping up as she prepared another volley of questions but the girl she was speaking to stopped her.

"I think Sayako has had enough questioning for one day Kazue." She let out a small laugh as she said this, giving me a reassuring glance. Kazue nodded her head, retreating as she allowed the other girl the opportunity to introduce herself. "My apologies about Kazue, she can be a rather investigative person. Sayako, correct? I'm Hiromi Kanomaru the Super High School Level Karate Fighter."

**_Hiromi Kanomaru, Super High School Level Karate Fighter_**

Unlike the others except for Syaoran, Hiromi gave off a sort of comforting feel. Kind of like an older sibling sort of thing. Despite what she said her title was she looked more like a model. …With muscle…y parts. Her hazel eyes reflected her gentle tone as a smile remained on her lips.

"It's nice to meet you Kanomaru-san!" I chirped, feeling extremely pleased to have met such a kind person. Not wanting to forget, I thrusted my clipboard out to her along with my pen. "Would you mind supporting the Girl Scouts of Japan? Just sign here and everything will be perfect!" I kept a large smile on my face as she laughed at what I assumed was my enthusiasm. She quickly signed her name and handed it back to me.

"There you go. When can I expect the cookies? I'm sure they'd go great with some tea." Hiromi mused before leaning a bit closer, "Do you enjoy tea Sayako?"

"Ah- I find it to be delicious though I prefer lemon tea." It was the only tea my mother ever made so I wasn't exactly sure of what other kinds existed. I'm sorry Kanomaru-san!

"Oh, is that so? Well that shouldn't be a problem. We can have a tea party, should I find enough tea." She seemed content with that and the idea of a tea party almost made her sparkle. I nodded my head in agreement before shuffling away. I gave her my goodbye as she returned to her conversation with Kazue. The last person in their trio had wandered a bit away, thinking to himself apparently.

"Ambuscade… hmmm… That doesn't sound flowery enough for a sonnet but maybe something for the tale of a soldier…? Oh but it could…" He want off into a quiet of murmuring to himself as he wondered about the rather strange word he just spoke. I'm not an English teacher but I'm pretty sure that's not even a word… I was a bit weirded out by this but I approached him nonetheless.

"…Excuse me…?" I called out, poking him gently with my pen in an attempt to get his attention. This seemed to surprise him as he jumped and took several steps back away from me. I stared at him, almost a bit offended but I pulled together a smile. "Hello! I'm Sayako Hanureru, it's nice to meet you. I'm the Super High School Level Scout." …No response. He just stared at me, not even moving his eyes until he blinked. It was a bit uncomfortable and I shifted awkwardly, playing with my clipboard.

"…Renji Sakurai…" He muttered quickly, far too fast for me to catch what he was saying. I took a step forward, tilting my head towards him and covering my ear.

"I didn't quite catch that. What did you say?" I pressed, curiosity overwhelming me.

"Renji… Renji Sakurai. My name…?" Rather than a statement, that last bit came out as a question. Was he uncertain about his name or something? I decided to write his name down on my clipboard, assuming he would probably flee if I tried to get him to sign it. "…Super High School Level Poet." I snapped my head up as he spoke, halting my hand to give him my full attention.

**_Renji Sakurai, Super High School Level Poet_**

"Poet? Like with uhh.. Shakespeare and all those other writers?" I inquired, a hint of excitement in my voice. Nothing was more inspiring than the works of poets. Might I add, I'm a bit of a poet myself. I wrote and read mine to a crowd when I was eight, earning my very own Poetry badge.

"...Yeah, like Shakespeare. Are you familiar with his works?" He inquired, inching a bit closer. He relaxed a bit as a small smile stretched across his face. "Only what I've read in middle school. I don't remember what it was entirely about but it was called Romeo and Juliet. Undead lovers right?" I laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of my head nervously.

"No… It's about the tragic tale of star-crossed lovers from rival families that hate each other with a frivolous passion unmatched by any other. As a result of their blossoming love for one another, the two end up taking their own lives in a rather saddening misunderstanding between the two. It's a classic and a pure work of art,." The excitement that courses through his words shocked me. I didn't exactly expect that and neither did he. He immediately shrunk back, scooting away and covering his face in embarrassment. "Sorry about that…"

"Ah. It's no trouble at all!" He didn't seem to believe my words as he stayed in that position, causing me to sigh a bit. If not Yuuna, I'd definitely look after this guy. Deciding it would be in his best interests, I moved along to pick the next group. There weren't any remaining trios, just a pair and three standing off by their lonesome. I sauntered over to the pair which happened to be two brunette boys engaging in a rather intriguing conversation. I heard something along the lines of 'sword' and 'suit of armor' before I interrupted.

"Excuse me?" I announced, cutting their conversation off as they turned to face me. They were both taller than me, I don't know why I would expect different. "Sorry for interrupting but I came to introduce myself. I'm Sayako Hanureru, it's nice to meet you two!" I gave them a large smile, though my face was beginning to hurt from smiling so much.

"Ah…" The boy that spoke up wore a grey jacket and a pair of blue jeans. He seemed rather plain in my opinion- ah! My apologies, I should really fix that… Anyways, he seemed a bit tense as his mouth gaped open like a fish out of water and it just spilled nervous. "…hi?" He finally said after a whole, a tint of pink appearing on his cheeks. I blinked, confused by all of this.

"Sorry about my friend, he's a bit on the.. shy side," the other boy spoke up, tossing an arm over the former. Unlike his companion, his attire stood out a bit more with the large apron covering him and he navy blue headband in his wild hair. He looked like a rock n roll baker or something. "I'm Tsuyoshi Sanada, the Super High School Level Blacksmith and this is Ryku Hazukagi Swordsman."

**_Tsuyoshi Sanada, Super High School Level Blacksmith_**

**_Ryku Hazukagi, Super High School Level Swordsman_**

"Oh! That's interesting, your talents are related, aren't they?" I inquired, completely pointing out the obvious. Tsuyoshi didn't seem to mind as he nodded his head, answering my question whereas Ryku just looked off into the distance.

"Pretty cool right? Should we find any smithing materials maybe I can make something for Ryku to show his skills with. How's that sound?" He asked the swordsman, patting his back a bit too hard.

"Like a great time…" Ryku answered before coughing a bit from the intense pats. He ran a hand through his hair, scratching his uncomfortably. Tsuyoshi rolled his eyes, returning his attention back to me.

"So what's your talent? I don't believe you mentioned it." I nearly face palmed at my rudeness. Forgetting to mention something as important as my title is certainly besmirching the code.

"Oh, I'm the Scout. Like with Girl Scouts and all- representing the Girl Scouts of Japan," I replied, enthusiastic to speak about the organization that I was raised to love so dearly. I made sure not to forget their signatures and held my clipboard and pen out to them. "Would you two mind signing here and here?" I asked sweetly, pointing to two empty spots. The two nodded, taking turns to sign their names in the spaces before handing me my pen back. "Thanks! I'll see you two later. It was nice meeting you!"

After exchanging goodbyes with Tsuyoshi, since Ryku was still being a shy Sheldon, I made my way to the closest loner. But… I quickly regretted that choice. The feel this girl gave off was rather unsettling. It oozed unapproachable as though it was some sort of invisible caution sign. Not to mention her attire made her look more of a swordsman than Ryku, no offense intended. As I approached her blue eyes immediately fell on me as her pink hair moved in accordance. I stopped in my tracks, feeling a chilling sensation overcome me until she averted her gaze elsewhere.

"Uhm…" I started, making my way closer to her. She turned to face me again, her expression cold and uncaring as she waited for me to continue. "Well uhm, I'm just going around introducing myself to everyone and err… I'm Sayako Hanureru, the Super High School Level Scout." I held out a hand to her which she promptly ignored, her hair flipping as she stared straight ahead.

"Lightning. Is there anything else you need? If not, goodbye." With that, she resumed her silence, clearly stating she no longer wished to speak.

**_Lightning, Super High School Level ?_**

I took this as my cue to leave and began making my way over to the next girl. She seemed rather uncomfortable, constantly checking the clock as she tapped her foot repeatedly. Wait, clock? Oh there is a clock in here… Wow, I didn't even notice… Anyways, the girl had a shiny black case sitting next to her with a tag hanging from the handle. She dressed rather formally, wearing a cardigan and a pencil skirt along with her glasses gave her a very mature look. Like most of the others here, her hair was black and kept rather neat.

"This is taking far too long. Orientation should've started by now. This is just sloppy, sloppy." She let out a heavy sigh, seeking to grow irritated with the apparent delay of orientation. I wasn't even aware that this school was having an orientation. Was this a part of it? Either way, she was clearly displeased by the current situation and made it seem rather hard to approach her. She glanced over my way from behind her spectacles, showing she had emerald colored eyes.

"Oh, hello. I didn't notice you, I was stressing over the time. Don't you think for such a prestigious school this is rather ridiculous?" She rested a hand on her hip as she spoke, turning to face me completely. I nodded my head, assuming she was referring to the event she was getting irritated over. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so. Everyone's just so relaxed but this is a waste of time. We should have a serious schedule to follow and all and-" she paused mid sentence, adjusting her eyeglasses before resuming. "My apologies, I don't believe I have your name. I'm Kazuko Hitomi though my manager calls me Kozu. I'm the Super High School Level Clarinetist. It's a pleasure."

**_Kazuko Hitomi, Super High School Level Clarinetist_**

She led a hand out to me, giving me a smile. I could feel a calculated gaze on me and I wasn't sure if it was coming from her or not. Irregardless, I shook her hand, as it would be rude not to, and gave her a smile in return.

"Sayako Hanureru, the Super High School Level Scout. It's very nice to meet you Hi-" I stopped myself, recalling that there was another named Hitomi. I figured this would cause a bit f confusion and bit my lip for a moment. "Kazuko-san." I hope she doesn't mind me referring to her by her first name- aaaah… This is so impolite.

"Sayako… I'll be sure to remember that. Maybe I'll play for you sometime, I have traveled around the world because of my talent after all." Her offer seemed too good to pass up, it's not everyday you hear a world renowned musician. Unless you go to a concert on a daily basis then I suppose you do.

"Sure that'd be splendid!" I chirped, reminding myself that I had tea with Kanomaru-san and a performance with Kazuko-san. Well, at least I have things to look forward to. With that, I left her to worry about how long this was taking again as I sauntered over to the last of the students.

She seemed like someone out of a fantasy movie or perhaps a story about a princess. Her long white hair resembled the color of snow after a plentiful amount had fallen during winter. Her piercing blue eyes observed the others as they conversed in their own little groups or merely standing in silence. She wore a rather fancy looking dress, like one you would wear at an after party though it was pretty modest. Honestly, she seemed way different than the others, much like a cool beauty perhaps.

"They're rather… strange, aren't they?" She spoke in a rather soft but flat tone. Her eyes glanced over at me, making it clear that she was speaking to me.

"Uhm… Who exactly…?" I inquired, a bit confused by her words. I looked around at the others, wondering if they were doing something weird. She stared at me for a brief moment before looking away.

"It seems I was mistaken about you, forget I said anything. You're a bit of an idiot…" I couldn't help the frown that formed on my face at her words, offense piling up as I tried to calm down. Courteous to all, one of the most important rules in the code.

"I guess so but uhm, what's your name? I'm-"

"No need, I already heard it several times. I'm Mana Yukimura, the Super High School Level Snowboarder."

**_Mana Yukimura, Super High School Level Snowboarder_**

Before I could ask her a question, the sound of a bell rang throughout the room. Like one of those bells in those huge clocks in large towns.

_"U-Uhm… Excuse me…? This is in isn't it…?" _A voice came from a loudspeaker that was attached to a corner of the room. _"A-Ah! It is… Thank goodness… A-Anyways, this is a message from the student council president. Could all the students pl-please head to the Gymnasium in order for O-Orientation to close? I re-repeat, could all the students pl-please head to the Gymnasium. Thank you." _With that, the sound speaker cut off, leaving silence in its departure.

"About time. I was so ready to just up and leave…" Kazuko huffed, grabbing her case as she hastily made her way out the doors. It was expected, she'd been waiting quite a while for this.

"Shall we?" Mana hummed as she too took her exit. Eventually, the room was empty save for myself as the others were in a bit of a rush to head for the gym. However, I was much more interested in this room. It seemed to be a sort of conference room with rather white walls and black tiles on the floor. There was a large table pushed off to the side with a large container on it as well. I was curious about it but it didn't seem all that important. Other than that, the room held nothing interesting except for the few potted plants around the room. With my quick investigation done, I slipped out of the room.

I walked through the hallways once again, glancing around as I wondered where the gym was. It didn't take too long for me to reach them after walking down a seemingly endless hall a pair of double doors with the sign, 'Gym' at the top, came into view. I pushed the doors open and made my way inside the room.

The others had long gathered and seemed to be gawking at something. Or rather, someone. I followed their gazes only to find one of those full body suits that you see at amusement parks. This one was a princess with unnecessarily long blonde hair and some frilly light blue dress. She had a wand in her right hand and heels on her feet. What… was this…? Was this the student council president?

"Well! That looks like everyone!" No, the voice is completely different. Then who was the one we heard on the loudspeaker? "Without further ado, I'd like to congratulate you all on your participation in this fantastic Mutual Killing!"

Mutual… Killing…? …What is she talking about?

**_-Sayoko Hanureru, Super High School Level Scout_**

**_-Aeri, Super High School Level Trapeze Artist_**

**_-Syaoran Shiki, Super High School Level Rescuer_**

**_-Yuuna Funakoshi, Super High School Level Scrapbooker_**

**_-Daichi Etsuko, Super High School Level Psychiatrist_**

**_-Hoshi Oshiro, Super High School Level Actor_**

_**-Kazue Suou, Super High School Level De-Bunker**_

_**-Hitomi Kanomaru, Super High School Level Karate Fighter**_

_**-Renji Sakurai, Super High School Level Poet**_

_**-Tsuyoshi Sanada, Super High School Level Blacksmith**_

**_-Ryku Hazukagi, Super High School Level Swordsman_**

**_-Lightning, Super High School Level ?_**

**_-Kazuko Hitomi, Super High School Level Clarinetist_**

**-Mana Yukimura, Super High School Level Snowboarder**

**Well there you have it. I was planning on updating this last week but then that got pushed back to this Tuesday which ended up getting pushed back till today due to me having attention span issues a well as struggling to write everything on mobile. I think it's safe to say that I'll be updating every Friday, keep it consistent and all. Anyways, I thank you all for following along and once more, thank you very much to everyone who submitted as I greatly appreciate your characters! Until next time.**


	3. Important Notice!

**Greetings and Salutations my dearest friends and followers. I regret to inform you all that this story will be on a temporary hiatus due to some issues going on with me and my best friend, ****_school_****. I have been restricted internet access for the most part, but I've managed to find a way around it. I will not be able to update today nor the week after and the following weeks due to this. Mostly because trying to write a story on the device I use to access the site would be next to impossible to meet the upload date I set. However, I will continue to write the story out on good old fashioned pen and paper then type it all up when I receive my phone/computer. I will be checking my PMs constantly as well as reviews for any comments after this little notice.**

**Furthermore, there is currently a poll posted on my profile This is so I can decide who will be in the Freetime chapters following the chapter I intended to post today. If there is anyone that you would like to see more of in a freetime because you feel that they weren't explored too deeply in the previous update or you simply want to see your own character revealed to the other viewers shoot me a PM. Feel free to list at least three and I'll select the top six along with the top three in the poll for three freetime chapters. I'll also throw in a little something before the actual murder occurs as an apology for this hiatus to make it up to you all. There's just a small problem. Would you prefer me to have a mass update with all the chapters on the same day or have it spread out over two to four days? Just let me know which seems better in your opinions. Once again, I sincerely apologize for this and I wish you all a happy holidays!**


	4. Ch 3: Cerise Bonds and Cerulean Dreams

**Hey everyone! I am so sorry about not updating this at all but I did have the chance to type things up during school hours. When I didn't have the chance I had to resort to the ways of the ancients. Good old pencil and paper. Anyways, I'm just glad I managed to type this up by visiting the library yesterday and fortunately I scored computer access for a brief period today! I thank you all for your reviews and prepare for a freetime chapter next!**

**Chapter 3: Cerise Bonds and Cerulean Dreams**

_So wait… They were forced into a game of mutual killing…? By some amusement park mascot…? Why? …I don't understand how anyone could do something so inhumane… No, that's a lie and I know it. There is someone, but who…? I can't… I can't remember… How am I even watching this anyways…? No… The darkness, it's returning…_

_**A Fate Retold**_

"Participation in what…?" Syaoran was the first to speak after the silence that followed the announcement. His grey ares were firm but wavered with disbelief as he glared at the human-sized mascot. I hadn't really noticed before but his clothes were rather… dirty… I suppose Aeri really shook me up…

"Mutual killing." Mana's soft voice answered, taking the initiative before the princess could do so. "An event where it's participants are forced to kill each other until only one lives or a group- depending on the scenario. We all have a fair chance of murdering someone or being murdered ourselves. That's how it works, correct?"

The mascot nodded her head which was rather creepy in my opinion, especially with that unwavering smile plate red on its face. But… what Mana said bothers me. We have to _kill _each other? That's horrible! There's no way I could do something like that! Killing someone is just... I wrenched my eyes closed, unable to fathom the thought I even hurting someone. I've done some terrible things but harming another human being is just something against my morals. The others feel that way, right?

"Ah, but you forgot one thing!" The eerie voice of the mascot spoke, causing me to look in its direction, forcing my eyes open. "The goal for murdering someone is the ticket of escape! We wouldn't a series of boring random murders, that'd be fruitless for our endeavor. There'll be rules and such planted so you have an understanding of what will-"

"Hold on," Lightning interjected, holding a large weapon outstretched in front of her. …A giant weapon?! I immediately took a few steps back at the sight o the thing, pressing against the doors leading out of the gym. It appeared to be a sort of sword merged with a gun. Was she planning on killing this girl? Was she insane? "I don't have time for this little game. I need to find my sister." She laced her finger around the trigger, preparing to shoot.

"Kya!" The mascot screeched, immediately ducking as it's arms flew to the sides of its head though they wouldn't cover it. "Knight, oh knight. Where art for thou?" As she asked this, the clanking of metal was clearly heard and in a flash, half of Lightning's weapon bounced on the floor. Bounced? It didn't clang like metal would- was it fake? That didn't matter right now, a suit of armor kneeled near Lightning and her broken blade, a rather long sword outstretched.

"What the hell…?" Hoshi breathed out, clearly startled by the sight. I think we all were, no one would've expected someone like this to just appear out of nowhere. The knight, slowly stood an twirled their sword before sliding it into a holster. The suit clanged as they made their way to the stage where the princess stood, feeling rather haughty now with her bodyguard. Just what were these people…?

"I wonder what it would've felt like…" Yuuna murmured, staring at the knight. I don't think anyone else heard her considering that I was the only one who turned to look at her with a confused expression. "…being cut like that…" A creepy smile formed on her lips as she clasped her hands together rather tightly.

"…Yuuna…?" This seemed to bring her out of her trance as she looked at me, nervous like she was when we met earlier. She let out a small laugh, rubbing her arms.

"I-I mean the p-poor sword must've hurt… I-if it could feel… I would hate to be cut like that, don't y-you agree Hanureru-san?" She let out a shrilly laugh, averting her gaze to the floor. I nodded my head in agreement, not wanting to be cut in half myself.

"So wait- we're supposed to kill someone in order to escape?" Daichi inquired, curiosity evident in his voice as the princess nodded. "So… If I were to let's say…" He grabbed Kazuko and loosely pressed his arm to her throat, catching her off guard and making her drop her case. "Choked Kazuko to death right here, I would be able to leave?" He immediately released her and she glared at him, punching him in the arm.

"Asshole…" She muttered, picking up her clarinet case and making sure to move quite a ways from the Psychiatrist. He gave her a swift apology, trying to assure her that he bore no I'll will but I don't blame her.

"Ah- not exactly," the mascot answered, chuckling a bit at the interaction between the two. "You wouldn't want to do that with all these witnesses around. Like I said- it'll be explained in the rules. Though I suppose you'd need to look at the rules in order to understand better. My apologies." She clapped her hands and a box fell from the ceiling and into her arms. "Here are your Hex-Watches. These provide a holographic map of the school as well a database of the other students. Of course, it only shows you information that you're aware of and is virtually indestructible. If you do end up finding a way to break it we will not give you another and you will be unable to enter certain places." She began tossing each one to everyone, some of us managing to catch it and others, not so much. Once I received mine I inspected it cautiously, worried it might have some sort of bomb or something.

"I have a question," Ryku spoke up, fastening his watch before raising his hand. "That sword, might I know what is made from as well as what type of blade it is? It looked finely crafted and I would love to try wielding it." The knight gave no response, clearly ignoring him. "Uh… Knight…-san…?"

"Are you an idiot?" Aeri called out, narrowing his eyes at the swordsman. "Sheesh, they're not gonna waste time fer yer irrelevant questions." He was fiddling with his own watch, pressing random buttons until a map appeared before his eyes. "Wow… Now this is interestin'"

"Try not to get used to it shortie," Hoshi sneered, checking out his watch as well. "You're already an easy target. I bet you won't even last till the second murder unlike yours truly who will best everyone here."

"What'd you say?" The trapeze artist growled, baring his teeth as he glared at the actor but was promptly ignored. "We'll just 'ave ta see about that prisspants."

"Now, let's not fight. We're straying away from the goal," Hiromi called out. "So I have a few questions about these rules… Also, what should we refer to you two as? I think it would be inefficient to just call you two Princess and Knight."

"Oh! I'm so thankful you asked!" The princess piped up, doing a small twirl before bowing. "You may refer to me as Princess Reiko and this is my knight in shining armor, Keisuke. Wave to the peasants darling." Keisuke made no move to wave, simply standing there as still as a statue. "Oh well, at least you know the names of your principal and vice-principal."

"Right…" Hiromi nodded her head before looking to the others, "Open up the rules section and take a look at Rule number Four." Rule number four? I glanced to my own watch, pressing a button which caused the map to appear. I frowned a bit before pressing another revealing photos of my classmates. This is unbelievable, why isn't there a mannual for this thing? I tapped the round button on the face of the watch opening the rules.

"There we go!" I exclaimed, happy to finally have the rules pulled up. I saw Hoshi roll his eyes at my excitement and Aeri scoff in unison. Shrugging them off I read the first rule,

"_No destruction of school property except for the Hex-Watches and utensils used for murder. Doing so will result in Expulsion."_

Expulsion? …Wouldn't that be a good thing…? I was a bit confused on the word considering how we want to get out. Nonetheless I moved on to the next rule by pressing the right arrow next to the round button on the face of the watch.

"_Any sort of attack placed on the Principal or Vice-Principal will result in immediate Expulsion."_

Expulsion again… I could feel a frown forming on my face as I attempted to decipher the meaning of this reoccurring word but to no avail. Well, I had no intention of attacking either of them and it was a good thing Lightning was stopped before anything could happen to her. I moved on to the third rule, expecting something more relevant to the mutual killing aspect. Just the thought of saying that phrase made me weak.

"_Students are free to investigate and explore the building to their liking. However, during nighttime the Cafeteria will be closed and will remain that way until morning. Nighttime lasts from 11:00 PM to 8:00 AM."_

We even have restrictions at night? I suppose that's fair… I wonder why we can't use the Cafeteria of all rooms. What if one of us gets hungry and need a midnight snack? This is getting worse by the moment…

"_Once a student has successfully committed murder a class trial will be held after an investigation period in order to determine the culprit. If they manage to "win" the trial, the culprit will be able to escape."_

"So wait, you want us to try and be detectives in order to find the culprit?" I asked, cocking my head at our principal in confusion. It didn't make much sense to me. "Doesn't that ruin the meaning of a mutual killing or am I missing something?" I thought it would've been more like the _Hunger Games_ but I guess not…

"No, it doesn't," Mana answered, a small sigh escaping her lips as she did so. She stood at the front, turning to face us. "I'm assuming you all don't have a clue about the long history behind this, do you?"

"No, not really…" Tsuyoshi answered, scratching his head as he rubbed the edge of his apron against his sweaty forehead. I suppose he was just as nervous as the rest of us. "I've never even heard of the term mutual killing. It's not like I go around participating in those things or anyone normal for that matter."

Hoshi scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "Speak for yourself. Didn't it start with some psycho bitch? Enoshima or something? Whatever- the point is, she was part of some group called the Super High School Level Despair along with her sister and blah blah blah. What does that have to do with anything Yukimura?" He glowered at the snowboarder, awaiting an explanation. …That means the Super High School Level Despair is behind this, duh! Even I could figure that out.

"Also…" Syaoran piped up, a puzzled look plastered on his face. "Didn't that group disband a few months after she died? Or was it fall under due to the Future Foundation…? I can't recall but I know it ceased to exist after some time."

"I doubt it since they're here in the flesh." Ryku pointed out, thrusting a finger out in the direction of our principal. Super High School Level Despair… I never heard anything about them nor of this Enoshima person… I feel… out of place…

"Anyways, to answer Sayako's questions, it makes things much more interesting." Reiko through her giant suit hands in the air almost jovially. "Seeing you all struggle to figure out who killed who or bickering as you all disagree with a notion. It's amusing!" Her disturbing laugh filled the room while we simply stared at her, shivers running down my spine. "Well, that's all there is to this meeting! If you need anything just open up the menu on your Hex-Watches and call either myself or Keisuke. Farewell for now!" She threw something at the ground, causing smoke to fill the room. We of course, coughed upon inhalation of the substance but it cleared up pretty fast. However, Keisuke remained there alone. …Was our principal a ninja as well…?

"…The Hex-Watches… are used to unlock your respective sleeping quarters…" His gruff voice spoke though it was in a strangely soft tone. Odd. In a flash, he was gone, leaving us with our peers in an eerie silence.

The tension within the room was clear as day. We looked at one another with wavering gazes as fear and doubt began to cloud our senses. Honestly, I felt sick at the thought of this situation. Someone would be coming to get us, right? Well, even if anyone wasn't we could still figure a way out! Hope! We just have to have hope and faith.

"Guys!" I exclaimed, effectively gathering their attention. Burying my fear and doubts within my heart and mustering up as much courage as I could, I spoke once again. "We don't have to follow through with their plans. So long as we don't live in fear and doubt of another's actions we can find another option that doesn't involve killing someone. There _is_ an exit we can find ourselves without having to resort to violence, we just have to work together."

"And if killin's tha only way outta 'ere?" Aeri questioned, giving me a pointed look. Right, of course someone would harbor doubt to my suggestion. This wasn't something that was new to me, I encountered this constantly during my time in the troupe. For example, a wild bear attack that occurred a few summers ago but I managed to lead them to safety. I have faith in my judgment.

"Then we'll have to make our own way out!" I answered cheerfully, "The only way this can work is if we all put in our efforts and try to escape together. The Super High School Despair or whatever doesn't stand a chance against all of us! Are you all with me or not?" They stood in silence, looking towards someone else in hopes they would speak up first. A bead of sweat ran down my neck as I started to doubt my own words seeing the lack of effect it had on them.

"I'm with you," Syaoran announced, a large smile on his face. "If I can't rescue myself let alone anyone else here, then it'd be a shame to both me and my family. You can count me in Sayako." He patted my head, taking a stand next to me, waiting for the next person to join our endeavor.

"Well, if Sya thinks ere's a way out then… I 'spose there might be one…" Aeri muttered, shuffling over but I could tell there was some residue of doubt in his words. He crossed his arms, averting his gaze from anyone else.

"I as well then," Hiromi stated before flinging an arm around Kazuko's shoulder. "You think there's a way out too, right Saachan?" The de-bunker glanced at her friend before shaking her head full of black hair.

"Not at all. This could very well be a wasted endeavor," she explained while crossing her arms as she continued on. "I'd rather not do something as pointless as trying to get out with the proper means. They've managed to kidnap us all as well as force us into this situation. I'm certain that they've provided the proper means to ensure that we do not escape without forgoing their provided instructions for escape."

"Now now, no need to be so uptight about it Saachan. I'm sure that our efforts will be plenty fun and yield satisfactory results." Daichi let out a small laugh, tugging his journal from his lab coat's pocket. "Though I must admit, this is quite the interesting predicament with a splendid development. I'll be sure to make notes of this…"

"Hmph!" Kazuko huffed, clutching her clarinet tightly against her chest as she adjusted her spectacles. "Either way, the sooner we get out of here the better. I'm certain I've already missed countless events with all of this nonsensical nonsense. My manager is surely upset with me and my lack of appearance." A heavy sigh escaped her lips before pointing a slender finger at Daichi, furrowing her brows in disgust. "And you better stay away from me until this is all over you-you psycho!"

"I'm offended." Daichi placed a hand over his chest as though he'd been stabbed. He feigned a hurt expression with a mix of betrayal on his face before letting out an anguished cry. "And here I thought we were becoming such _close_ friends Kazuko. My heart is completely shattered at your resentment towards me."

Before she could spit out a remark, Lightning announced her views on my idea. "I don't really care about working together…" Her solemn words ceased the commotion immediately as she reached for the other half of her destroyed weapon. …Or do I call it a toy? …Prop? I'm not sure. "…But… I do care about getting out of here so I suppose I'll settle for doing this…"

It seemed everyone was onboard with getting out of here. Fantastic! I suppose a few encouraging words really do go a long way, but on to the next agenda.

"Great!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together, "I think we should split up into groups and begin investigating for any exits as well as supplies and the like. Sound good?" A few nods of agreement as well as complacent murmurs were evident, making my smile even larger if that was possible. …My face hurts. We began forming our groups, starting with Kazuko blatantly declaring her desire to be away from Daichi followed by Ryku and Tsuyoshi demanding they'd be in a group together. It was pretty funny actually, like we were getting into groups for a school project. It was… nice, like we were normal high schoolers in a legitimate school environment. But… never mind. We pulled up the maps on our Hex-Watches and began suggesting spots to investigate and went to group making from there.

The groups ended up pretty even if I must say. The first group consisted of Syaoran, Aeri and Daichi due to them being the only ones willing to accept him into their group. Poor Daichi, maybe I'll go visit him and try to cheer him up a bit after this. They were assigned to inspect the Nurse's Office to take inventory of all the contents. The next group was Ryku, Tsuyoshi and Kazuko. The swordsman seemed rather nervous in the company of the rushing clarinetist, demanding they should finish by Dinnertime. Tsuyoshi merely laughed, flinging his arms around his two companions as he began his musings on how great of a combination they were. They definitely made an interesting group, to say the least. They had a number of a few minor rooms that I couldn't recall as well as the Classrooms. The following group formed had Hiromi, Kazue, Renji and Lightning. The latter clearly expressed her distaste for being in such a large group but hid it almost immediately. Kazue kept a close watch on her while Hiromi and Renji sparked up a conversation on the topic of poetry I think. I couldn't quite understand the words they were using but I assumed it was something poetic. They were assigned to check the Cafeteria area. Finally, that left myself, Mana, Yuuna and… Hoshi… in the last group…

…What? This didn't seem to look to me but I didn't dare complain. We decided, or rather I suggested we check out our living arrangements as well as any small rooms that were in the vicinity. Yuuna shyly agreed while Hoshi simply scoffed at the idea but agreed nonetheless. Manan nodded her head in pure silence so she was in agreement for the idea. This was going smoothly, right? We decide to meet up in the Cafeteria to discuss what we found as well as future plans. With that, each of the groups took their leave, one by one, until we were the ones who remained.

"So uh… let's go?" I asked rather lamely. I kind of wanted to slap myself but I left the large room nonetheless with my group following behind me. It was a bit uncomfortable walking in silence down the hallway except with Hoshi's occasional clearing of his throat in order to gather our attention for absolutely nothing. I wonder what compelled him to do that… Ah well.

"So um… have you guys given any thought on how we'd be getting out?" I inquired, turning around as I began walking backwards. Things were getting too awkward and silent for me. I enjoyed communicating with people but this, this was unbearable.

"Well, obviously we're not gonna walk right out the front door and be greeted with sunshine and happiness like we're some sort of Gods returning from a journey," Hoshi snorted with the roll of his eyes before murmuring. "…if there's even a front door anywhere in this godforsaken place…" He pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly thinking deeply about something before Yuuna piped in.

"Wh-What about those doors down there?" She pointed a band-aid clad finger down a hall we were just about to walk passed. Wait, band-aid? When did she get that? …Was that always there? Anyways, at the end of the hall were a pair of lavender double doors that simply exuded elegance. There was some sort of floral pattern on it, or at least, what I assumed was one. "That loo-looks like a front door, ri-right? I-I mean it's s-so fancy so…"

"It's locked," Mana stated flatly as she continued forward, not even bothering to wait for us. "I tried to look inside when I first woke up but to no avail."

Hoshi scoffed before following after her, arms crossed. "Or maybe you're just saying that so you can keep whatever is behind those doors to yourself to gain an advantage in this game." I winced a bit at the actor's pointed accusation. The fact he called it a game was uncomfortable but Mana stopped, craning her neck to leer at him with a cold, apathetic gaze.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Was her simple reply before continuing onward, leaving the actor a bit surprised.

"Humph! Not like I cared to know…" He muttered, going off on a series of ramblings as he followed after Mana with Yuuna close behind. I cast another glance at the door, biting my lip as I wondered what was behind them. Was Mana hiding something or were they legitimately locked…? …Why would I doubt her, trust is important if we want to get out. Right.

"Ha-Hanureruru-san?" Yuuna called out, looking at me with concern. She winced a bit at the realization she stuttered when she called out my name but I paid it no mind. "Are y-you coming…? The others we-went ahead…" She stood before a set of doors yet Mana and Hoshi were nowhere to be found. I suppose they didn't feel like waiting for me and I really shouldn't be dilly-dallying here. Gotta make sure I'm useful to the cause!

"I'm coming! Sorry!" I exclaimed, heading towards her in a sprint. She smiled faintly and quickly turned, causing her to slam face first in the right door. She fell to the ground, placing a hand over her forehead. "Ah! Yuuna! A-Are you alright?" ...That is really a generic response whenever someone gets hurt.

"Oww…" Yuuna groaned, attempting to stand but wobbled a bit before I offered my shoulder for support. "I think so... I wonder if I got any brain damage from that…" There was a hint of hope in her tone but I brushed it off. She was probably disoriented from the head on collision with her good friend, the door.

"C'mon, let's catch up to the other two and we can pay a visit to the Nurse's Office after." I swung open the door with my free hand, allowing the brunette scrapbooker nodded her head with her side bun bouncing as she did so. Her forehead was pretty red so I think it'd be best to get it checked out as soon as possible. Nonetheless, after exiting the hallway we ended up in a another large lobby though it was different from the one where we all met up in. Across from us was the dormitory area with large neon lights signaling that this was where we were to stay. In my peripherals, I could see the cafeteria as well as a few other rooms.

Making a mental note to check those rooms, I assisted Yuuna over to the dormitory hall where Hoshi and Mana were waiting. The latter patiently but the same could not be said for the former. He was tapping his foot in a rather rhythmic pattern with irritation molded into his face.

"And I thought you two would never show up," Hoshi sighed a bit too dramatically for my tastes before scanning the dizzy Yuuna. "What happened to her forehead? No wait, the ditz ran into the door head like some incompetent fool, didn't she?"

Spot on. I don't know if I should feel bad for Yuuna to have the cause of her injury guessed with a simple look or applaud Hoshi for his ability to guess correctly. Then again, he might've gone through the same problem as well. …I feel for both of them… "Yeah… that's what happened, but thanks for waiting for us!" I chirped a bit too happily but I most certainly grateful for their patience.

"I already examined the room arrangements." …Or maybe they don't have patience. Mana made her way down the hall slowly as she announced this. Fortunately, there was an echo so her soft voice carried out through the vicinity. "On the left side, the order is as follows; Yuuna, Lightning, Kazuo, Aeri, Tusyoshi, Sayako and Hoshi."

"What?" Hoshi gasped before he began fuming at the information. "How dare they put me in the last room. Surely this is a mistake! A huge mistake! Yuuna, you must switch rooms with me this instance!" He whipped around towards the frightened girl so quickly even I was startled. I thought he would be more concerened that his room was next to mine. No wait- only Aeri would.

"Wh-What? Wh-Wh-Why…?" Yuuna squaked out, as she crouched a bit, hiding behind me. Oh my god, I may have wanted to help her but I didn't want to become a human shield. What could I do anyways? She's like, the green giant compared to me! …Okay maybe not that tall but still. I threw my arms out defensively, gritting my teeth. Here goes nothing. "I-I don't want to…"

"I don't care if you don't want to. I must ha-"

"It's pointless," Mana cut him off, making her way towards us before stopping at a door in the middle of the hallway on the right side. "You'd have to switch Hex-watches and I'm assuming that even you have some bits of info on that thing that you don't want anyone to see. They'd probably avoid you for the duration of our stay and you'd be pretty lonesome… I mean, everyone has some dark secrets that someone else would be disgusted and revolted by…"

"He-Hey…" I croaked out. She was certainly taking it way too far for my tastes. Mana silenced herself, casting her icy gaze over to me with her chilling blue eyes for a brief moment. Her white hair swayed with the motion as I truly felt a cold spell flourish through my body from her simple look. She turned her attention from me and on her door, raising a hand to the snowboarding goggles that hung around her neck. Hoshi was in a far worse state. He was gritting his teeth with his hands curled into tight fists at his side. His eyes were trained on the floor, clearly thrown off by her words.

"Syaoran, Ryku, Hiromi, Mana, Daichi and Renji." Mana spoke once more, listing of names. "That is the order of the rooms on this side. Yuuna, can you help me with inspecting my room? I think it would be good to have another set of eyes to assist me." She held her right wrist up, holding it over a panel on her door. A click resounded in the hall before she turned the doorknob of what was clearly her room and pushed open the door. Yuuna tottered over toward the door (nearly tripping over her own feet) and hastily entered after the snowboarder.

It was simply me and Hoshi standing in awkward silence. I rubbed my arm, drawing in a deep breath before reaching out to him. He seemed really uncomfortable or hurt- like a small squirrel or some sort of other animal that you could find in a forest. It simply tore at my heart strings to see the poor guy like this.

"Hoshi…?" No response. I tugged on the sleeve of his blazer before he jerked his arm away. I was a bit hurt and put off by the action but he was in pain I suppose. He began walking towards his room and I instinctively grabbed his wrist. "There's something bothering you, isn't there?" Step one, address the issue. "I'm not sure what it was that Mana said that bothered you but if you need a shoulder or someone to talk to, you can come see me." I attempted to sound as sincere as possible in hopes he would at least consider my offer. He shook his wrist out of my hold after a moment before continuing to his room. I stood there as he scanned his Hex-Watch and strode past the door before slamming it a moment later. Ouch.

So far so good, not. I let out a heavy sigh as I begin making my way to my own door which was conveniently next to Hoshi's. As I walked past the other doors I noted that there were little digital boards with a portrait of the room's owner with their name below it as well as the word alive. I shivered a bit but I couldn't help but wonder how much it cost. Surely it was expensive to get them installed and created… I scanned my own watch like I had witnessed Mana and Hoshi do previously and sauntered inside.

Needless to say, the room was simply amazing. There was a window with a view of the outside world and it was currently night. Maybe I could escape? Closing the door, I dashed over to the window only to find out it was fake. It was one of those changing screens that some expensive places had nowadays and behind it was a whole lot of concrete. Wonderful. I took a moment to face palm at my idiocy before scanning around my room. A king sized bed with pink blankets and red sheets sat a few feet away from another door along with large white pillows resting at the edge. The bed frame was made of some glossy wood with pretty fancy engravings embedded into it. I immediately bounced on the bed a couple of times, finding it to be extremely soft and cushiony.

Hopping off my new sleeping spot, I examined the door next to it, finding it to lead to a small closet. It was empty save for a few hangers along with an iron and ironing board. I wondered where my clothes were since there wasn't any way I would wear the same set of clothes over and over again. That's really disgusting.

A dresser adjacent from my bed caught my eye as well as a large vanity mirror above it. I quickly made my way over where I found several copies of my current outfit. With assurance that I would have something to wear that was clean, I closed the drawers holding my clothes and examined the mirror. I observed my reflection for a few moments before noticing a few boxes on the top of my dresser.

"Oooh! Are these…?" I picked up one of them and squealed when they were confirmed to be what I thought they were. They were boxes of my favorite Girl Scout Cookies; Strawberry Nut Crunch. They were also an extremely popular flavor, almost reaching number one in sales in Girl Scout history and I simply adored them. Opening one of the boxes, I began snacking on a few as I wandered around my room in search of anything else worth investigating. The floors were covered in blue carpet and the walls had boring beige wallpaper plastered on them. A few lamps were littered about, one on the dresser and another on a desk next to my bed.

…Speaking of that desk… I made my way over to it, setting my beloved cookies on my bed as I examined the single drawer attached to it. Inside was a small kit, a cooking kit to be precise. However, the recipe on the back proved it to be something far more terrifying. "How to make Grandma's special poison cookies, they're sure to be to die for" was written at the top. The vials inside being revealed to be poison rather than spices made me drop the container. Sliding the drawer back, I inched away from the drawer and let out a heavy sigh.

They really wanted us to kill, didn't they…? Putting that… _thing_ in the deepest depths of my mind, my eyes caught sight of yet another door. Curious, I made my way over to it and peered inside. Within it was an extravagant looking bathroom with stainless steel well- everything! There was a shower combined with a rather large bath. A large cabinet filled with all the necessities like hand soap, tooth brushes, face wash, shampoo etcetera. Wow, this was really thought out. And I even get my own toilet! This was turning out pretty well. Retreating from the bathroom I made my way back over to the exit of my room. Giving my room one last look over, I exited and found myself back in the dormitory hallway.

And no one was to be found… I considered going to check and see if Hoshi was alright but I figured he still needed some time to himself. Letting out a small sigh, I trudged to the Cafeteria with my shoulders slumped. I stood at the doors with rising hopes that the others had found something close to an exit from the slight sounds of commotion. I pushed open the door only to be greeted with a large spread of food. I felt my jaw drop at the sight and maybe I drooled just a smidge. It looked simply delicious. Lobster, cake, steak, ribs, salad and several things I had no clue as to what they were but it looked tasty.

"Ah hey!" Hitomi greeted, waving one of her bandaged hands at me as she smiled. "We decided to make everyone something to eat when they got here and well, we were waiting for you before we began eating. No need to worry, Mana already filled us in on the details about our rooms and Hoshi spilled a bit as well. Daichi has all the information so you can just ask him for it while we feast."

I nodded my head, smiling quite a bit as usual. I made my way to an empty seat which was conveniently placed next to the psychiatrist with all the info everyone gathered. We sat at one of those really long dinner tables that you see in movie scenes with fancy dinners at some rich person's house. Everyone seemed a bit jovial as they began eating except for well, Hoshi, Lightning and Mana. Mana kept her same quite aura while she enjoyed the meal and took part in conversations with slight nods. Lightning merely ate in completely silence, completely put off by the thought of actually conversing with anyone. …I wonder what was up with that… As for Hoshi… he seemed to still be distraught over what Mana said earlier though Tsuyoshi waved it off as his arrogance.

Daichi quickly filled me in as we enjoyed our dinner together. I don't mean like together together I just mean like with the group and you know what I mean! Anyways, Syaoran's group found several bundles of useful supplies in the Nurse's Office. This included rolls of toilet paper, scalpels and other utensils used in surgery, blood packs, pain killers and other medicines for colds and the like. There were also those hot-cold packs for stress relief. …pain relief? …Either or. There were a few beds in there as well for anyone who needed to rest in there in the event they get any sort of injury. Well, I already know someone who's going to be there quite often. I snuck a glance at Yuuna as the thought of her entering there on a daily basis made me laugh a bit.

Next was the Cafeteria. According to Hiromi, there's a freezer with an abundance of meat as well as seafood. Raw of course and there were even pigs hanging on meat hooks. …Maybe I won't be heading there anytime soon. Even if I _do_ crave meat. There were also fruits as well as bottled water and unhealthy drinks filled to the brim in the fridge along with lunchmeats and the like. You know; easily heated stuff or things you could eat cold. There were also eggs which were my favorite part of breakfast as well as bacon. Mmmm… I could taste breakfast on my tongue. There were plentiful amounts of silverware as well as dishes for us to use. There were also extremely sharp kitchen knives, like the fancy ones chefs use, hanging along the walls in there. A total of eight knives, each a completely different size. Definitely staying away from the kitchen, unless I feel the need to have smores, then I'll make an exception. Lightning also apparently inspected a few other rooms and found that we had a sauna as well as a little arcade. Most of the games were apparently extremely old but there was a particular little crane game that had some very interesting prizes. Unfortunately, it doesn't take any actual money, just some strange coins. I wonder what kind of coins…

Finally, Kazue's group found that there weren't any leads to an exit in any of the classrooms or the strange set of lavender doors, proving Mana's claim that they were locked. They also found that there were two bathrooms, one for males and the other for females in a back hall near the dormitory hallway. They also found a set of shutters that lead up to the next floor but they couldn't find any way to move them. There was also a small recreational room filled with magazines on fashion and a ping pong table. Other than that, it was a pretty poor room. The door could be found in the lobby that led to the cafeteria next to an apparent store room. The store room held a number of things like water bottles, track suits, sports related items like basketballs and soccer balls as well as simply things we would need for everyday life in case we ran out in our bathrooms. How splendid. Needless to say, our results yielded in a lack of finding an exit but everyone's spirits didn't seem to drop. In fact, they were raised with the large dinner we were enjoying. Though a few people, namely Kazue, expressed their doubts of finding an exit but no one let that bother them. We focused on simply having a good time.

But of course, all good times must come to an end… As we neared finishing our meals an announcement rang throughout the room.

"**Moshi Moshi! Just kidding! Good evening students, please prepare for bed as it is currently 11:00. Nighttime will begin and the Cafeteria will be closing momentarily."** The voice of our Principal, Reiko, rang in our ears with warning as she repeated it twice. Hastily, we began cleaning dishes and managing to do so and leave the room before we were locked in. After doing so, we bid our goodbyes and went to our respective rooms to rest.

Once everything was settled I began sifting through my drawers for my nightwear. Fortunately for me, there was a single cat onesie. It's so cute and it has ears along with an adorable little tail! Though I feel that my peers would laugh at me for adoring such a thing but it was so soft… I rubbed the soft fabric against my cheek, finding the texture to be extremely enticing until a set of knocks resounded on my door. Alright, even though Mana said our rooms were sound proof noise could still be carried through the door. She mentioned it earlier during dinner which I think was the result of an experiment with Yuuna. I arched a brow, wondering who it could before the knocks made their presence known once again in a rather hurried rhythm.

"Coming!" I cried out, shoving my cute little cat suit in a drawer as I quickly opened the door. Behind it stood Hoshi, arms crossed as his irritated gaze focused elsewhere. What a surprise to see him at this hour… "A-Ah, Hoshi… What's up?" I greet, trying to sound as casual as possible though the surprise was clearly evident.

"Nothing is up fool,: was his nasty response before he cleared his throat rather loudly. "Anyways, I merely wanted to convey that I… acknowledge you offer and I will be willing to take it up at some point. Not that I'd need it, I simply do not wish to see your pitiful efforts in vain." ...What kind of excuse is that…? "So… do not fret should someone comes knocking as it will most likely be me. Just to be safe, wait for a second set just to be sure, otherwise, you'll end up as the first victim. Ta-ta for now, I require my beauty sleep." With that, he excused himself, entering his own room a few feet away.

...Strange… but he was willing to take me up on my offer so that is a good sign, right? Feeling a bit giddy, I closed the door and clapped with cheer coursing through my veins. Of course, considering I should be getting to bed soon as well, I wasted no time and slipped my outfit off and set my sash on the desk. I moved along to the bathroom, turning on the water to take a shower but… nothing happened. I frowned a bit and continued adjusting dials but to no avail.

"What is wrong with this thing?" I groan exasperatedly, bringing my Hex-Watch to my face. Unsure of how to work this complex thing, I pressed buttons until I got the call feature to pop up. Immediately, I called for our principal, causing a hologram of her to appear with all her glory.

"Yeeeees?" she greeted, stretching out the syllable in a rather frightening tone. It was like talking to a doll. Then again, she might as well be one.

"Hi, sorry to bother you at this hour but… the water isn't working properly." To prove my point, I adjusted dials to show that nothing would occur at the action. Rather than her explaining she merely burst out into laughter, clutching her sides as though she was just told a hilarious joke or witness something outrageous. Either way, I didn't get it and I was a bit annoyed with the response.

"I-I'm sorry…" she croaked out, managing to silence her laughs. "You should read the rest of the rules. I think that should answer your questions as well as any you might come up with along the way. Hugs and kisses!" Thus ended the transmission and the hologram disappeared. That helped in no way what-so-ever. Sighing, I exited the bathroom and tossed my clothes in a corner. Throwing on a fresh pair of undergarments and my kitty-cat onesie, I laid down on my bed and flipped through the rest of the rules to find the one to answer my question (after a bit of struggling to get to said section).

"_During Nighttime all water heading directly to the students' personal bathrooms will be cut off to be green. Let's protect our environment."_

I scrunched my nose at this seemingly pointless rule but… it was for the sake of the environment so I suppose it's fine. Curious about the remaining rules, I continued onward.

"_The lending or trading of Hex-Watches is strictly forbidden and will result in immediate expulsion."_

That's a bit… harsh… I wonder why we wouldn't be able to do that…? ...Not that we would anyways but it doesn't seem right at all. Well, if Hoshi had managed to convince Yuuna to swap rooms with him he'd be expelled. ...Lucky.

"_Should any student be caught sleeping outside a dorm room they will be placed in detention for a certain period until they understand why what they did was wrong. The second offense will result in immediate expulsion."_

Wow… I better pay attention in class then… BUt English and HIstory are so boring. I'd fall asleep in those classes within the first ten minutes each time I attended. Letting out a weary sigh as I massaged my eyes, I couldn't help but wonder why they had so many rules in place. It was so weird… Ridiculous even! With one rule left to read, I flipped to it, eager for sleep.

"_The Principal and Vice-Principal have the authority to add or adjust rules as they see fit to provide the most enjoyable Mutual Killing."_

...How considerate. Shutting off my watch, I curled up underneath my blankets as my eyes gazed upon the fake night sky. I wanted to go home… listen to my mother preach on and on about the girl scout's history. See all of my friends and go on expeditions with the members of my troupe. Honestly, it was a bit lonely… Curling up into a tighter ball as these thoughts ran through my mind, I shut my eyes and allowed myself to be carried away in the darkness of sleep.

**Hey! Poor Sayako's missing home I see… Well that's to be expected in a situation like this, right? Anyways, I probably won't update this considering I'll be out of town for the next week or so but when I get back school starts so that means computer access during school access! I'm glad I managed to get this up today before I had to leave so Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**


	5. Ch 4: Sanguine Joy and Aqua Memories

**Oooo, another update. I figured I'd do another one before the New Year ends... ...starts... ...Something like that. Anyways, considering how it'll be a pretty long time before I'm actually able to update again I hope this new chapter will help tide you over. The chapters to follow this will be Free Times as well- give you a bit of info about some characters as well as some that I uh... misplaced. But anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter Four: Sanguine Joy and Aqua Memories**

_I see… So this Sayako child managed to unite her and the others in order to prevent any killings from happening. But… it seemed that they still occurred. Everything she had done had ended in vain but I wonder… Who was the one who initiated this? Was it Sayako herself or perhaps someone else had snapped. Either way, it happened and I will uncover what occurred. ...Ah… the darkness is coming back… I suppose… it's time…_

**A Fate Retold**

I lay in my bed, curled up in a tight ball as a sort of way to defend myself I guess. Well, no- I was actually asleep not too long ago but the wake-up call Principal Reiko made prevented me from falling back into my slumber. Ahh... I had managed to boost sales by fifty percent too... It's such a shame, really. I didn't want to go back to sleep in case I'd get a nightmare- I mean, she's our principal and all but she looks like something from a cliche horror movie. So, I simply remained in my comfy bed, exhausted from yesterday's activities and a lack of sleep but knowing the others, they were probably still searching for a way out. ...Well, some of them anyways. I rolled on my bed, adjusting myself so I could see my reflection in the mirror across from me. Right, getting out... I willed myself out of bed, making my way to the bathroom. Shedding my nightwear, I began the daily ritual of bathing. I turned on the water, setting it to a comfortable warm setting. I really don't understand why we can only take showers in the morning. Stupid rules. I sighed again, something I've been doing a lot since I got here but the warmth was so nice and soothing! I stared at the shower head in a sort of odd gaze and the water hitting my eyes kind of hurt too... But this wasn't a time to be mopey or depressed. It was a time to get excited over showers! No wait- I'm a scout, I should be far more dedicated than this. I'm supposed to be a leader for the others. Slapping my cheeks lightly a large smile formed almost automatically- oh my god, am I masochist? Shaking my head, I waved that thought away. I need to make sure I'm helpful for the others, I shouldn't stress over things like this.

After that burst of self-encouragement, I quickly shampooed my hair and took a moment to rinse the excess off. Finished with cleansing my body, I slipped out of the shower and pulled out a fresh set of clothes from the dresser that they had conveniently brought. Taking another glance at my clothes, I noticed that they really were identical copies of my clothes. Ah well! I don't mind wearing this everyday, I think it's cute! Though I kind of wish I brought my uniform, it's cute. Well, it's whatever, gotta make do with what I have. Fastening my skirt around my waist I found it fit almost perfectly- no, just like the one I was wearing yesterday... ...and to the school...

...Did they measure me? A shiver ran down my spine as I instinctively covered my top half by crossing my arms, feeling extremely violated. I couldn't help but imagine a close-up view of our Principal's horrifying face- n-not her actual face but the mascot face thing! …Nevermind... I moved on to tug on my navy stockings, which were uncomfortable I might add. I want some socks... Letting a slight sigh escape my lips, god I need to stop sighing, I observed my appearance in the large vanity mirror. Perfectly tidy and in tip top- my scarf! Realizing how slightly off it appeared, I quickly adjusted the white fabric before smoothing out my navy uniform top- traditional. Fancy, right? Just as I attempted to slip on my black mary janes, a series of loud knocks caught me off-guard, causing me to fall over in surprise.

"C-Coming!" I called out, hastily shoving my feet into the correct shoes and grabbing my sash as I stumbled over to the door. I flung it over my shoulder with care before opening the door with my usual smile plastered on my lips. "Hell-o..." My voice immediately fell as my eyes fell upon Aeri, looking as grouchy as ever with a smiling Syaoran behind him. I couldn't help but stare, considering he was the last person I'd expect at my door... Aeri, not Syaoran.

"What's tha look fer? Somethin' on my face or are ya as brain dead as usual?" Good old Aeri charm. I kept my smile on my face as I accepted his usual firing of insults but before I could even breathe, continued on. "Anyways, what took ya so long? You didn't even pretty up or anythin'. And you made us wait, you should really learn some manners, _scout._" He flicked my sash and I legitimately felt like I would've socked him if it weren't for scout laws #1 and #8.

"Alright, I think Sayako has had enough obloquy for today, Aeri." We both set our eyes on Syaoran, shooting skeptical looks at the mention of the strange and foreign word. I might've gotten the dictionary badge but I'm pretty sure that word has nothing to do with keys. "What? I learned it from Renji. It means strong public criticism or verbal abuse...I think. He knows quite a few words, almost like he's a human lexicon."

"... What?" Aeri muttered, arching a brow at the word before throwing his hands up. "Actually, no. I don't care. Come on, it's time for breakfast." Without the faintest bit of hesitation, the trapeze artist grabbed me by my collar and proceeded to drag me in the direction of the cafeteria. My shoes were probably going to get all scratched up but that was the last thing on my mind.

"AH! No wait! My clipboard, I neeeeeed it!" I whined, reaching out as though that would help me in my desire to escape his grasp. My black hair brushed against my neck and I quickly realized I had forgotten about my hair. "Let me gooooo! I need to tie my hair! Braid it! This is _not_ up to code! Syaoran, help me!"

"Ah shaddap! Yer hair looks slightly worse than decent. … You're _welcome_." Why did he just say I was welcome? … Was that a compliment? Syaoran followed behind us, currently unfocused on us. He was muttering something about asking Renji for some normal sounding words to try and use. There goes my idea of asking him to get my belongings, but then again, with the whole door activation with the Hex-Watches made it a bit of a hassle. I relented in my struggles in defeat, deciding I would go back for my belongings at some point later.

We eventually made it to the Cafeteria and Aeri released me the moment we entered, causing me to hit the floor with a loud thud. Not to mention, I was stuck in between the door with my lower half outside the cafeteria. Such kindness Aeri. Slight giggling resounded in the room that I distinguished as Yuuna's. Was she some sort of sadist? 'Cause I swear she's laughed at someone's pain every time someone got hurt. Maybe she isn't as defenseless as I initially thought... ...or maybe worse. Then again, she's always a stuttering mess so probably not.

"Th-That looked like it hurt Hanureruru-san. I-I would've preferred it being me instead of you..." the scrapbooker stammered out, managing to flub up my name once again. Though, I wasn't sure if I should be concerned about her desire to swap positions with me, or be appreciative that she showed some sort of concern. ...I think? "Oh! I-If we find a ca-camera I'd lo-love to scrapbook e-everyone's accidents. It'd be-be like a book full of f-fun and p-pain inducing moments!" Her tone seemed to lighten at the suggestion which most certainly earned her a few odd looks.

"How about, no?" Kazue answered, clearly expressing her opinion on the matter as Syaoran assisted me with standing up. I murmured a soft thanks as Kazue continued on. "Rather than wasting time on scrapbooking such 'fun' memories, you put effort into trying a find a way out of here since you all so firmly believe in that. Or better yet, take pictures for evidence and the like when someone ends up snapping." She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her seat. ...It's too early in the morning for this...

"I-I'm s-sorry! That was a stupid idea... a thou-thousand apologies Suou-san!" The poor girl curled up in her seat, completely frightened by the de-bunker's brazen words. Even though Kazue didn't believe there was a way out other than killing someone she was certainly right. Though, it's not that I was extraordinarily helpful with finding a way out or anything.

"Alright, alright. I think that's enough squabbling for now," Daichi spoke up, standing as he did so. The de-bunker rolled her eyes the second he spoke. "If we just keep on meeting like this every morning they'll get bored as we bond and eventually release us. There's nothing to worry about in regards to someone snapping, I've been keeping a close watch on everyone and their behaviors right in here." He held up a journal before sliding it back in his coat pocket. "I'll always be on nightwatch so there's nothing to worry about." ...Somehow, I doubt that's true.

"I knew someone was watching me when I took a stroll last night..." Kazuko announced, causing all eyes to fall on the psychiatrist.

"Of course. In order to ensure everyone's safety, some things must be done." ...Originally I thought he was nice but maybe he has some ulterior motives... A few of the other girls muttered 'pervert' or 'disgusting' at his response which only reinforced my new belief about him. But... he was doing this for the sake of everyone's lives so he has good intentions. Daichi, you're so kindhearted...

"Well, if that's all..." Mana announced flatly, standing up. "I'd like to return to my room so I can relax for a bit in peace. Nothing important seems to be happening and... no one seems to notice we're short three people..." The moment she pointed that out we began glancing around, counting how many students there were. Eleven...

"Ah, you're right," Hiromi mused, setting a cup of what I assumed was tea on a small plate. "It seems that Lightning, Ryku, and Hoshi seemed to have decided not to turn up for the meeting... What a shame... Perhaps they're not morning people?" Maybe Hoshi wasn't, but Lightning seemed like the type of person who was- I dunno, on top of things? ...Maybe I'm just assuming too many things. ...I wonder what Ryku is doing then, is he a heavy sleeper or something...? ...If so, I'm jealous. So very jealous.

"Well, knowing that actor he's probably waiting for one of us to retrieve him from his room and just shower him with attention." Tsuyoshi snorted, leaning back in his seat as the legs lifted a few inches off the ground. His comment sparked up a few laughs as well as a few murmurs in agreement. I huffed a bit, stomping my foot at the rude insult on poor Hoshi. It's not like that all, Hoshi's just like the rest of us. I think Syaoran noticed this, quickly speaking up in defense for the poor guy.

"Now, now. Hoshi's... alright." ...Some help that was. He struggled to find a way to properly defend Hoshi and I couldn't help but admit he could be a real piece of work and ah! I'm doing it again! I feel like I've broken code at least ten times! "Anyways, let's just sit down and enjoy breakfast, then move on to explore a bit more and see if we can uncover something new, alright?" The others seemed content with the idea and all, and breakfast certainly seemed very appealing. "Great, I'll go ahead and check on the no shows."

"I'll come with you," Aeri offered, sauntering over to the taller male. Syaoran gave the shorter blonde a smile and a nod before turning on his heel to leave with the other following. Hmmm... interesting. They seem to be such good friends, though I wonder how Syaoran deals- ah ah ah! Not this time! Deciding to take a seat for now, I flopped into the chair next to Kazuko who was watching Daichi very carefully. She really was weary of him, wasn't she? She immediately turned to face me, relaxing as she let a small smile tug at her lips.

"Ah, Sayako. Are you alright?" I blinked a couple of times, confused about what she was asking about. She sighed when she noticed the confusion that might've appeared on my face. "I'm referring to when you hit your head. You know, when Aeri dropped you? He does know how dangerous that is, right? He could've killed you if the floor was hard enough. Then again, he's not that tall so maybe..." I kinda tuned her out, nodding my head every so often to show that I was listening. I didn't notice this before, but it seemed black hair was pretty common here... I mean- I have black hair. Kazuko has black hair. Hiromi has black hair. ...Then again, would it be odder if it wasn't that common? ...I don't know! I'm not a hair-specialist person.

"...so what do you think?" I snapped out of my thoughts only to find Kazuko staring at me with her green eyes from behind her glasses. I had no idea what she was talking about and I sat there, opening my mouth like a gaping fish. "You weren't paying attention, were you?" Another sigh. "Sayako, it's very unbecoming if you don't pay attention when someone is speaking to you and- sit up straight! No slouching!" Immediately she barked her orders one after another and I felt so frightened. It was like being under my drill sergeant for a- oh my goodness. I need to stop.

"The food is ready!" Hiromi called out from the Kitchen, coming out with several stacks of food- oh my vegetables. The twin-tailed ravenette carried massive stacks of food in both of her hands, each hand holding a considerable amount. ...How did she not drop it at all? Kazue sauntered after behind her, carrying a few jugs of refreshments that were hopefully clear of poison. After placing them down, she began assisting Hiromi with laying out the dishes which looked extremely appealing I might add.

"Oooh! Food!" Tsuyoshi mused, immediately reaching out to grab a few pancakes with his bare hands only to receive a slap from Kazuko. "Owww! What was that for woman?" He cradled his hand, inching a bit away from the clarinetist in fear she would slap him again.

"Don't just touch the food with your bare hands! That's disgusting! Revolting!" I don't think she's ever going to get a holiday but it was pretty funny. It was almost like a mother scolding her child. ...Mother... "Anyways, at least thank Hiromi and Kazue for making this meal. I'm sure they worked pretty hard on it. It looks really delicious by the way."

Kazue crossed her arms, shaking her head. "No, Hiromi made everything herself. I just poured the drinks." How modest. ...Then again, that was probably the truth. Hiromi seemed to be that type I guess? ...That was rude, wasn't it? I-I meant it in a good way! I just can't win, can I...?

"Either way, it certainly looks palatable. I give you all of my thanks for putting yourself through such travail in the depths of the culinary arts to make sure that we have an upstanding breakfast," Renji spoke up as he lifted his head up from the table. He had a small smile dedicated to the fighter who in turn blushed a bit at the praise. After those... complex words, the poet went back to his business which seemed to be writing something. I'll admit, I was a bit curious, but I suppose I could ask about it later. I wonder what kind of poetry he writes about...

"Let's dig in!" I cheered a bit too loudly for Kazuko's tastes and began filling my plate, using forks and napkins of course. I didn't want to have bruised hands from my stern friend after all. Soon enough, everyone who was present began eating in delight, even Mana who opted to sit away from the rest of the group. It was a bit strange to see someone so secluded from the group like that. Maybe it's just me, seeing as how everyone in my scout troupe are like sisters and all but... ah, maybe I'm just worrying a bit too much. This food is just so good!

"We're back!" The voice of Syaoran called out as he pushed open the doors to the cafeteria, effectively catching our attention from the mouthwatering meal. With him was Aeri, bearing an irritated expression far beyond his usual levels of irritation. A drowsy looking Ryku leaned against Syaoran's shoulder and I'm pretty sure he was still napping. Hoshi immediately pushed past them, muttering something about people being so inefficient. Huh, I guess he really did expect someone to escort him here. Sorry! I looked to see if I could find Lightning but... she wasn't there. Instead, a girl who I had never seen before stood next to Aeri, looking around the room curiously. Her green eyes scanned the room as though she was on a mission in search of something or maybe she was just getting a feel for it. Her hair was a brownish colour and the style seemed a bit... familiar but I couldn't place my finger on it. I think she noticed us staring at her considering she immediately ceased her look around the room to smile at us.

"Ah! Hello! We haven't been properly introduced yet but I'm Noriko Nakamura! It's a pleasure to formally make your acquaintance!" Noriko performed a swift bow, allowing her hair to follow with her motions before standing straight again. "Oh! No need to give me your names either. I already have them committed to memory- it'd be rude if I had forgotten them after you told them to me after all."

...What?

"I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I haven't even been in same room as you. What do you mean I told you my name?" Tsuyoshi inquired before taking a drink from his glass of cranberry juice. He was right, I certainly hadn't given my name to anyone named Noriko. ...I'm certain she wasn't here when I woke up and introduced myself to everyone.

"Sure you did! It's me, Lightning. I just washed the dye out of my hair before I went to bed last night," she said, gesturing to her tresses to reveal that it still bore some remnants of pink embedded in the colouring. "I'm the Super High School Level Cosplayer. Though I guess I'm really good since you couldn't even tell I was Lightning even with the outfit on."

_**Noriko Nakamura, Super High School Level Cosplayer**_

Tsuyoshi immediately spat the contents of his drink out all over the person sitting across from him, which happened to be Yuuna. The scrapbooker in turn leaned back in her chair, frightened by the backwash liquids all over her and fell onto the floor with a painful thud. The blacksmith was coughing and hacking, trying to gather his bearings while Syaoran hastily moved to help Yuuna up which caused Ryku to collapse onto the floor and pull him out of his sleep.

"Huh? What happened?" He asked, quickly hopping up as he retrieved a sword from a sheath on his back. Wait-what, sword!? He looked around cautiously with tired eyes and bags clearly evident on his face. ...Did he not get any sleep last night? Wait, why am I worrying about that? Where did he get a sword from!? Oh my god, is he going to kill someone?

"I-I-I'm sorry! I-I shouldn't ha-have been i-in your li-line of fire...!" Yuuna cried out, clutching her head as she leaned on Syaoran for support. "Th-Though... I-I wish my fa-fall would've be-been harder... hee-hee... O-Oww...!" She winced as Syaoran poked and prodded at her head, frowning a bit as he did so.

"You hurt your head pretty badly..." He noted, running a hand through his hair. "Come on, let's go to the Nurse's Office." Moaning and groaning, Yuuna was carried off by the rescuer to the Nurse's Office and of course, Aeri followed after him but not before grabbing a plate to eat.

"...Well then..." Mana started, making her way over to Noriko. "It's a pleasure to formally meet you as well Noriko. I assume you will be going back to Lightning soon...?"

"Ah yes," Noriko nodded her head before tugging at her clothes a bit. "It seems that this outfit is the only thing the school provided for me and it's my duty to constantly stay in character. Ah- don't think I dislike any of you or anything it's just the character is all. Well, I might end up disliking some of you though." Wow, that was really forward. ...A bit too forward. "Oh! Breakfast! I almost forgot how hungry I was. This looks really exquisite!" She immediately sat down in a seat and began eating with well poised etiquette. She commented every now and again on how tasty something was while we simply just... continued eating. Well, save for Mana who left to go do her own thing. Eventually, we all finished eating and moved on to part in our own ways to do our own thing.

"Now... what to do..." I murmured to myself, unsure of my plans for now.

_**Free Time!**_

Humming softly to myself, I finally decided to search for anyone requiring assistance. Exiting the Cafeteria, I decided to make my way over to the school area to begin my search. I strolled by one of the classrooms, Class C, where the sound of chalk hitting a blackboard roused my curiosity. I peeked inside, finding Renji writing something on said board. ...Or maybe it was an essay of some sort...? Whatever it was, it took up a large majority of the blackboard and he was writing pretty small. Impressive. I never really noticed but his clothes reminded me of the forest. I think it was a style- Mori I think? He looked extremely warm with the brown coat and green sweater _and _a dress shirt. ...Maybe he was burning up actually... the scarf certainly didn't help either... He also seemed prepared for the wilderness with a pair of brown hiking boots that matched his pants. ...Now that I think about it, his eyes and hair seemed kind of out of place compared to his style. His turquoise eyes were focused on whatever he was writing before he suddenly stopped, looking over at me, his fiery crimson locks moving as he did so.

"Ah, Sayako. Greetings and salutations." He gave me a small smile that seemed extremely inviting. "I was simply writing a short poem, would you care to hear about it at all?"

_**Listen to Renji's newest piece of prose?**_

_Find someone far more interesting to speak to?_

"Sure! I'd love to!" I chirped happily, making my way over to the farthest side of the blackboard as he began reciting the words he wrote. Apparently, it was a simple poem dedicated to a rose struggling to survive within a harsh winter though it was comparable to that of someone trying mesh in with a wretched society. Or at least that was the meaning he explained to me. Wow... poems really _are _powerful pieces of literature.

"...though that's simply just the meaning I had in store for it. The poem could actually be taken in a multitude of different nuances that vary from person to person." Renji explained, excitement pouring into his words. "It can even bridge friendships between people who have very similar conceptions as well as people who disagree. It brings me happiness to see what my writings can do for the world and it's people."

"Wow... you really love poetry... And... I think that makes it even more amazing that you can do something like that!" I couldn't help but feel invigorated myself at his words. Poetry huh.

"Mmm... Sayako-san, what type of poetry do you enjoy most?" He inquired, folding his hands as he rested his chin on them.

"What type of poetry...? ...Uhhh..." I kind of just droned on for a second, unsure of how to answer before snapping my fingers. "Oh! Ones that sound kind of like song lyrics! I think those are really pretty...!" ...I have no idea what I'm even talking about.

"Ahahahaha...!" Renji immediately began laughing, placing the back of his hand to his mouth to stifle a bit so he wouldn't be so loud. "I'm sorry Sayako-san but... that's very fitting of you actually... It's cute actually... but they're actually just called Songs since they're meant to be sung."

"O-Oh..." ...I felt kind of stupid but... at the same time I feel like I've learned quite a bit.

"Soliloquies," Renji stated out of nowhere, pulling a word out of nowhere.

"S-Solilo-what?" I stammered out, unsure of what he was talking about.

"When one speaks their thoughts when by themselves or in no regards to the possibility of people that could hear them," he explained, taking a short pause before continuing. "...Do you not do partake in such action?"

"U-Uhm... sometimes... I-I think it just happens naturally, I guess? Like when you're checking a list or something so you say things for confirmation..." This just really got awkward, didn't it. Silence remained between us for a good moment before he spoke up again.

"Question- which of these forms of Poetry can be used to describe _Vino_ by _Lorraine Nisbet_:"

_**Villanelle**_

_**Tongue Twister**_

_**Rispetto**_

...These are actually poetry forms!? I'm pretty sure the first and last one aren't even words but... the V seems really suspicious... Therefore, with my deductive reasoning I have selected my choice!

"...Is it Villanelle...?" I asked, feeling a bit of doubt in my words. I feel like I'm on trial or something...

"...I'm afraid it is not. Would you like to give it another go?" Renji's smile resurfaced, giving me a bit of encouragement.

_**Villanelle X**_

_**Tongue Twister**_

_**Rispetto**_

"Th-Then how about Tongue Twister?" I'll go down the list if I have to! ...Though it's not good if I just guess continuously... This is really silly but I desire to know what type it is. Maybe I can impress my English teacher when we get out of here!

"That's correct! Here's the poem as I remember it:

_"vile vintage vino_

_via violent varicose veins_

_vagrant vapors vacate_

_vast vascular vessels_

_vanity vamoose_

_while visions of_

_voluptuous vixens_

_vibrating vigorously_

_virtually vaporize_

_into a vast vapid vat_

_of venomous venules"_

Isn't it interesting? It's certainly one of my favorites." Uh... I had no idea how to answer that so I simply nodded my head in agreement. After that, we continued to sit there in silence until I opted to leave to allow him to continue his writing. I feel like I got to know more about Renji as well as poetry as a whole. Such a great time.

_**Information Update! Renji Sakurai!**_

"Hmmm... There's still quite a bit of time until Nighttime... I wonder who else I could speak to...?"

Uncertain of what else I should do I decided to leave the school area entirely. Humming softly, I wandered around for a brief moment until a certain someone caught my eye. Tsuyoshi seemed to be sitting in a corner all by his lonesome. It seemed... weird... Unnatural even. Shrugging my shoulders, I made my way over to him and gently prodded him in the shoulder.

"Tsuyoshi...?" I whispered his name to catch his attention. He turned his head slowly, revealing a rather sullen look on his face. ...Had he been crying or something...? He hastily began rubbing his face in an attempt to clear up his appearance but to no avail. He looked like a mess- poor guy...

"Just- go away. I wanna be alone for now. There's no iron anywhere at all..." Huh? Is that what he's upset about? Well, he's a blacksmith and all but... "Without any iron I can't even keep my mind focused from thinking about... this situation... I hate it, I hate it entirely..." Oh... that makes a bit more sense. "So, just go away. It's not like you'd understand or anything, you're a leader..."

_**Try and console Tsuyoshi?**_

_Let him deal with his problems himself?_

"No way!" I shouted a bit too loudly considering he flinched when I did so. "Tsuyoshi, what happened to the guy who was much more cool and laidback when I first woke up? You were really cool and kind and-and friendly! But now you're being all... pessimistic and what-not... This isn't really like you, is it?" I shook my head, answering my own question. "No, it isn't!"

"... I really am a pessimistic mess... I guess the reason why I was so happy when I woke up is because I befriended Ryku I guess..." He muttered, adjusting his headband a bit as he spoke. "Seeing as how he's a swordsman and I can smith swords and the like I guess it was kind of a natural thing or something... But the situation now is just too much! Sure we're friends now, but that could all change in a heartbeat!"

It was my turn to wince. It was true, we could very well become enemies at the next moment but... we have to have faith that we won't do anything like that! Build trust in each other in order to do so and allow ourselves to be comfortable with each other and eventually this environment. "That's not true... it's not certain but Daichi said they would eventually get bored of us being all friendly and release us... so, just a little while longer... _please_... I'm your friend too... so if you need to talk or anything, just come see me, okay?"

I stared at his brown eyes which seemed to carry a heavy strain of doubt and fear before he finally nodded his head. A small smile formed on his lips before he pulled me into a tight hug. ...A painfully tight hug.

"Thanks Sayako..." He muttered into my shoulder, "You're really hopeful, you know that? I think everyone here looks up to you for guidance. I'm certain of it. Anyways, I think it's good that I can't find any iron. At least this way I can face the reality of the situation and..." He trailed off, a bit of uncertainty in his voice. I was curious and I desired to know what this other thing was.

"And...?"

"Well... I can be a _biiiiit_ of a workaholic..." What? "I remember I went a whole day straight without drinking or eating a single thing because I was working to finish a suit of armor. Of course I finished and all but... I kind of fainted afterwards..." W-W-What!?

"...Okay, you're not allowed to get any iron at all..." I stated...or maybe commanded. Either way, I'm not letting him get his hands on any sort of malleable metal source. He'd run himself right into the grave. ...Wait, how would that work out actually...

"Alright alright! In exchange, I'll make sure that no one's bullying you. Just give me the word and I'll give them a face full of anvil." I'm pretty sure that would kill someone! Well... he seems happy for now so I won't say anything about how life threatening that is... but I don't think I'll be asking him for any assistance of the sort. Besides... I think Aeri's the only one who bullies me... On second thought...

_**Information Update! Tsuyoshi Sanada!**_

"Hmmm... there's still a bit of time before Nighttime... though I wanna make sure I have time to take a shower before I go to bed... Ah well..."

After escorting Tsuyoshi to his room I was unsure of what to do now. I decided to head back to my room for now and turn in early but...the sound of music caught my attention. Arching my brow, I looked around to pinpoint where it was coming from and it seemed to be escaping from an open door in the dorm area. I made my way over to the door which happened to be Kazuko's door and bore witness to her playing her clarinet. She had donned a rather elegant black dress and moved around barefoot in fluid motions as she played her rather enchanting tune. It was pretty- amazing even... This was the talent of the Super High School Level Clarinetist...wasn't it? I closed my eyes, relishing in the music before it suddenly stopped.

"Sayako, what a pleasant surprise." Kazuko smiled a bit as she made her way to her bed, sitting down. "Come join me. You wish to talk, do you not?"

_**Accept Kazuko's invitation?**_

_Decline in favor of someone else?_

"Sure! I'd love to talk!" I mused happily, stepping inside her room. As expected, it was extremely tidy and not a single thing seemed out of place. Several stacks of sheet music were laid on the dresser identical to the one in my room along with a vanity mirror. All in all, it was extremely similar to mine if not the exact same save for the color schemes and contents relating to our talents.

"Did you enjoy the performance?" Kazuko inquired as I plopped down on the bed next to her. She removed her glasses and began wiping them, trying to remove a smudge from them. "It's a piece I'm working on so I'm afraid it's not quite ready for concert but I believe it should be finished by the time we manage to find a way out of here.

"Really? I feel extremely honoured then!" I certainly did. Being able to hear such a world renowned musician play a piece that the public doesn't even know exists is such an exclusive privilege. Accidental, but still! "Have you decided on a name for it?"

"I'm afraid I have yet to come up with a fitting name..." she let out a small sigh, raking her hands through her raven locks. "Perhaps I'll ask Renji at some point tomorrow to assist me with that. He has a way with words, doesn't he?" A way with words indeed... If you manage to get past the awkward tension that could spark up at any moment, then it'd easy as pie.

"Ah, yes...he does... Oh! Word of warning, things can get a bit awkward when they get silent if you do spark up a conversation with him..." Might as well advise her in advance.

"Hahaha... there is no need to worry about that..." Kazuko laughed before placing her spectacles back on her face. You know that really weird moment when the character with glasses has light shine on the lens and it makes it impossible to see their eyes? Well, somehow that just happened right here...in this room with these lamps for lights... Strange. "As long as I get right to the point there is no chance of that happening. The direct approach is the most efficient and quick way to do things! Ahahahahahaha!"

...Wow... I must say, I'm very surprised by this quick err, change in character? Though it didn't last for long as she immediately cleared her throat and grabbed my hands excitedly.

"Anyways, I would like to ask you something of vital importance."

"Huh? What? Really?" I was a bit surprised at this as the possibilities stretched on in my mind. Perhaps... she'd want me to assist her in finishing her piece? Oh! Such a wonderful chance! I should start preparing my speech and- golly, who should I thank? Well, there's my mother and...

"Do you think Daichi has a thing for me?"

...the girl scout code. Then there's also- wait what? "...Huh?" I blinked in confusion, disbelief coursing through me. Daichi as in psychiatrist Daichi? Or Daichi as in some famous person who I cannot recall Daichi? "...You mean...Psychiatrist Daichi, right?"

"Yeah..." Kazuko nodded her head, a bit of concern flashing through her expression. Well, there goes my dreams. It only took five seconds for them to form and five to die. "Not that I have a thing for him or anything it's just..." she pursed her lips, frowning a bit as she sought out a way to properly express what she desired to say. "...creepy."

...Well, I can't blame her for saying that. He _did_ watch her when she took a stroll last night and all... "Maybe he just can't express it properly...? Either way, I'm not sure... I don't think anyone here could actually determine what's on his mind."

She let out a shaky sigh, raking her fingers through her hair. "I suppose you're right... Could you do me a favor and pretend I didn't confide in you like this? I don't typically do this, I just kind of needed to let this out. That's what usually happens to people who murder right? They keep things inside? Anyways, I'm not exactly looking for relationships so if he does confess I'll be prepared to turn him down. He's really weird..."

He's not... that bad... Though I can understand why she'd think so. "It's fine. I understand!" I guess she won't be seeing me for any sort of help like this but, it was nice to bond with her...

_**Information Update! Kazuko Hitomi!**_

After leaving her room and the door closed behind me, the bell rang and the announcement came on.

**"Ah, hello! This is your principal speaking! It is now 11:00 PM and Nighttime will now commence! The Cafeteria will be locked for this duration. I'd recommend locking your doors, you never know when someone's gonna get'cha! Ahahahahahah!" **With that, the intercom cut off. Sighing softly, I made my way to my room.

I made sure to lock my door for security and quickly got undressed. So much for taking a shower tonight... Ah well, I managed to get closer with a few of the others so I suppose it's worth it. Slipping on my onesie, I gathered my clothes and placed them in a corner. I'll do laundry at some point... Maybe in two days? That sounds good. I climbed into bed, nestling underneath the covers and drifting off to sleep. Surprisingly, it was far easier than it was yesterday... Dreams of my mother teaching me about scouts greeted me before I was swallowed up into the darkness of another nightmare...

...

Something bad is going to happen...

**And thus ends another update. Unfortunately, productivity ends her for the time being. I should have another chapter up in some time however I'm uncertain as to when this time will come. Oh well, we shall find out soon enough. Until next time.**


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